I 



ft 



MISSION TO THE INDIANS, 

FROM THE 

INDIAN COMMITTEE 

OF 

BALTIMORE YEARLY MEETING, 

TO 

FORT WAYNE, IN 1804. 

WRITTEN AT THE TIME, BY 

GERARD T. HOPKINS. 
WITH AN APPENDIX, COMPILED IN 1862, 
BY MARTHA E. TYSON. 



PHILADELPHIA". 

T. ELLWOOD ZELL, 
Nos.17 and 19 South Sixth Street. 

1 8 62. 



En 



SOURCE UNKiJOWi* 



NOV 15 1944 



fft 



JOURNAL. 



Many of my friends having been solicitous 
":he privilege of a perusal of the minuies I 
served in the course of my late visit to the 
.stern Indians, I have been induced to devote 
mall portion of leisure time to the purpose of 
tempting such an arrangement of them, as 
ould convey, intelligibly, both the route we 
took, and the various circumstances attending 
upon our journey. 

The judicious reader will doubtless make 
proper allowances for the difficulty there is in 
composing an entertaining diary over that of a 
history, where circumstances are not necessarily 
confined to day and time. 

As a suitable introduction to my Journal, I 
deem it proper to insert the following letter. It- 
will serve to show the intercourse which had 
previously taken place between the Indian 
Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting and 
some of the Indian chiefs of the Western tribes, 



4 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



" The Liitte Turtle's Town, Sept. 18th, 1803. 
"From the Little Turtle, The Five Medals, and 
others, to Evan Thomas, George Elhcott, and 
others. 

" Brothers and Friends of our hearts, — We 
have received your speech from the hand of our 
friend, Win. Wells, with the implements of 
husbandry, that you were so kind to send to his 
care, — all in good order. # t 

" Brothers, it is our wish that the Great Spirit 
will enable you to render to your Red Brethren 
that service which you appear to be so desirous 
of doing them, and which their women and 
children are so much in need of. 

" Brothers, we will try to use the articles you 
have sent us, and if we should want more, we 
will let you know it. 

« Brothers, we are sorry to say that the minds 
of our people are not so much inclined towards 
the cultivation of the earth as we could wish 
them. 

" Brothers, our Father, the President ot the 
United States, has prevented our traders from 
selling liquor to our people, which is the best 
thing°he could do for his Red Children. 

" Brothers, our people appear dissatisfied, be- 
cause our traders do not, as usual, bring them 
liquor, and, we believe, will request our Father 
to let the traders bring them liquor, and if he 
does, your Red Brethren are all lost forever. 

" Brothers, you will see, from what we have 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



5 



said, that our prospects are bad at present, 
though we hope the Great Spirit will change the 
minds of our people, and tell them it will be 
better for them to cultivate the earth than to 
drink whiskey. 

" Brothers, we hope the Great Spirit will per- 
mit some of you to come and see us, — when you 
will be able to know whether you can do any- 
thing for us or not. 

" Brothers, we delivered you the sentiments of 
our hearts, when we spoke to you at Baltimore,* 
and shall say nothing more to you at present. 
We now take you by the hand, and thank you 
for the articles you were so kind to send us. 
" Signed, 

u The Little Turtle, Miami Chief. 
u The Five Medals, Potowatamy Chief." 

This letter having claimed the solid consider- 
ation of the Committee on Indian Affairs, at a 
meeting held in the city of Baltimore, the 6th 
of 2d month, 1804, the following conclusion 
and minute was, at that time, the result of their 
deliberations : 

" The subject of a visit to the Indians, agreea- 
bly to the desire they express in the aforegoing 
letter, being solidly considered, the Committee 
are united in judgment, that a visit to them at 
this time would be the most likely means of ob- 



*See Appendix. 
1* 



6 



JOURNAL OF A YISIT TO 



taining a knowledge of the disposition they are 
Id, and enable Friends to ascertain what would 
be the best course to pursue to be useful to them. 
The following Friends are therefore nominated 
to that service, and requested to proceed in the 
visit as soon as convenient, to wit : George 
Ellicott, Gerard T. Hopkins, Joel Wright, and 
Elisha Tyson. 

" They are also authorized to take one or more 
suitable persons with them to reside amongst the 
Indians, to instruct them in agriculture and 
other useful knowledge, if there should appear 
to be a prospect of such an establishment being 
beneficial to them." 

My name haviog been entered upon the minute, 
and thus placed upon this very interesting appoint- 
ment, was to me a subject of much ■ thought-ful- 
ness and exercise; and believing finally that the 
peace of my own mind was concerned in a pas- 
sive submission to the judgment of my friends, 
I accordingly made provision for the journey, 
and on the 23d of the 2d month, 1804, left my 
home ; first witnessing those sensations due to 
human nature, in an affectionate farewell to my 
family connexions and friends ; rode to Ellicott's 
Mills, and joined my friend, George Ellicott, 
from whence we proceeded on our journey ; taking 
with us Philip Denis, a member of our So- 
ciety, who has concluded to accompany us, for 
the purpose of residing with the Indians, in order 
to instruct them in agriculture; reached Brooke- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



7 



ville, and lodged at Caleb Bentley's — making 
27 miles. The weather cold, with some snow. 
Nothing remarkable occurred, except that, in 
crossing a miry glade, my horse fell and threw 
me ; neither of us received a hurt. 

2d mo. 24th. Bade farewell to my relatives 
and connexions at Brookeville, and rode to Now- 
Sand's Ferry — 28 miles— a very muddy and cold 
day. The high wind preventing us from cross- 
ing the Potomac river, we rode to the house of 
George Lepley, a neighboring farmer, where we 
found good accommodations, and were kindly 
entertained. 

25th. Crossed the Potomac early this morn- 
ing, passed over the Catoctin mountain, taking 
the village of Waterford in our way; thence 
through the gap of the Short Hill, over the Blue 
Ridge to Warmsley's Ferry over the Shenandoah 
river; thence across the Shenandoah to the 
house of our friend, John McPherson, a dis- 
tance of 29 miles. This day's journey has been 
highly entertaining; mountain rising above 
mountain, and farm above farm, till we reached 
the summit of the Blue Bidge, from whence 
a most extensive and beautiful prospect of the 
country, both on the east and west side of the 
mountain, was full in view. From the top of 
this commanding eminence, we were the specta- 
tors of a beautiful natural scene. A cloud, small 
in its appearance, passing nearly upon a level 
with our elevation, cast its shadow upon the 



8 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



Goose Creek settlement below, for several miles 
in extent. The precise shape of the cloud, with, 
all its indentations, was visible in the shadow ; 
the indentations bearing the same enlarged pro- 
portions, with the shadow, to the cloud. 

An extraordinary deceptibility in human 
vision is evident, in a view of the Shenandoah 
river, from the summit of the Blue Eidge. The 
river, in the estimation of some of our company, 
did not appear to be further from us than the 
distance of half a mile, and it proved to be not 
nearer than three or four miles. 

26th. Passed across the Shenandoah valley, 
a body of excellent limestone land. This valley 
is several hundred miles in length, and general- 
ly from 20 to 25 miles in width, lyiDg between 
the Blue Eidge and the North Mountains. 
Many parts of it retain to this day the name of 
barrens, though now heavily timbered, being, at 
the time the land was taken up, covered with 
scrubby bushes. On our way we crossed a small 
river called the Opekon— and it being the first 
day of the week, we attended the Eidge Meeting 
of Friends, after which we spent the remainder of 
the day, and lodged at night, at the house of our 
friend, David Lupton, at the foot of the North 
Mountain —having travelled 18 miles. One of 
our horses faltered this morning, having been 
too well fed at last night's quarters. 

27th. This day travelled 31 miles, and lodged 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



at Clayton's Ordinary,* having crossed the 
North Mountain, Timber Ridge, Sandy Ridge 
and Capon Mountain; also forded Great Capon 
river and North river. Our road led us through 
several long and narrow valleys, which were well 
timbered and rich ; we have also passed large 
tracts of mountainous, uncultivated, and doubt- 
less never to be cultivated land. It is said deer 
are very plenty in the tract through which we 
have passed to-day, but none were discovered by 
us. Upon some of the mountains, and also in 
the valleys, we observed a few tolerably well- 
looking farms ; we have also noticed several 
small sugar camps in the course of this day's 
journey. 

28th. Continued our journey,— forded the 
Little Capon river, the south branch of Poto- 
mac, Patterson's creek, and the north branch of 
Potomac. We also travelled over Little Capon 
Mountain, South Branch Mountain and North 
Branch Mountain, passing through SpringGeld, 
Frankford and Cresapsburg villages, reaching 
Musselman's tavern, near the foot of the Alle- 
ghany Mountains ) making a journey of 37 miles. 

A snow has been falling for some hours upon 
the remains of a former snow ten inches in 
depth. Our journey to-day has been very en- 
tertaining, notwithstanding the severity of the 

*An Ordinary, is another name for a bouse afford- 
ing indifferent entertainment. 



10 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



weather, and the danger at this time attendant, 
on climbing up and descending precipices. 

There is much in a journey over these moun- 
tains to puzzle, as well as amuse, the naturalist. 
3Iany extraordinary natural curiosities have 
fallen under our observation, in the diversified 
appearance of mountains, rocks and valleys. We 
have passed to-day the most ponderous, craggy and 
over-jutting rocks we have heretofore met with, 
many of which were elevated several hundred 
feet above our heads, and seemed to threaten us 
with impending danger; which was not a little 
magnified, in our apprehensions, from observing 
vast bodies of rock, which had evidently turn- 
bled from their lofty summits into the valleys. 
Had we been disposed to indulge fancy, we 
might have figured to ourselves, in a view of 
these rude mountains of rocks, many of those 
descriptions met with in Roman, Greek or 
Egyptian history, of amphitheatres, obelisks, 
pyramids, &c.&c; whi^t many others exhibit- 
ed such regular, wavy appearances, interspersed 
alternately with oaks and pines, and soil ot 
various hues, as seemed to challenge the painter 
with his diversified shades of coloring. And could 
we have observed here goats, white bears and 
reindeer, with now and then a human being 
clothed 'in skins and furs, and with weather a 
little colder, we might, perhaps, have been led 
to suppose ourselves in Lapland. A few settle- 
ments are made in this tract, which are mostly 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



11 



in the valleys. Deer are said to be very numerous 
upon these mountains — several were seen by us. 
We also observed seats erected in the branches 
of the trees by the hunters, twenty feet in height, 
being concealed stations for the purpose of shoot- 
ing deer at the Salt Licks. We have also seen 
several flocks of turkeys and pigeons in vast 
numbers. 

29th. Travelled thirty miles upon the Alle- 
ghany Mountains, and at night lodged at Smith's 
Ordinary. We have to-day passed through land 
heavily timbered, tolerably level, and said to be 
rich and clear of stone; of this, the snow pre- 
vented us from judging. We also crossed over that 
part of the Alleghany ridge which divides the 
eastern and western waters of our continent — 
the streams all bearing a right hand direction. 
Near this part of the mountain, our road led us 
through the most beautiful and lofty forest of 
spruce and pine I ever saw. This forest is call- 
ed the Shades, The trees are generally from 
108 to 180 feet in height, many of them without 
a limb for 100 feet in height, with a body not 
more than 12 inches in diameter at the surface 
of the earth. 

We also forded one of the branches of the 
Youghiogany river, called the Little Crossings. 
The principal ridges which we passed are called 
by the mountaineers the Back-bone Ridge, (from 
its sharp elevation,) the Winding Ridge and the 
Negro Mountain. On inquiring into the origin 



12 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



of the Dame of the latter, we were informed, 
that many years ago, a white man and a negro 
who were hunting together, accidentally fell in 
with an Indian upon this ridge who was armed : 
both the negro and the Indian betook them- 
selves to trees, presented their guns at each 
other, and fired at the same moment, and both 
fell dead. Their images are cut upon the trees 
behind which they fell, as a memento of the 
circumstance. The ridge has ever since been 
called the Negro ^fountain. 

Deer and turkies are numerous upon these 
mountains. The hunters have in many places 
erected seats, as heretofore described, for the pur- 
pose of shooting deer. 

Over the greater part of our journey to-dav 
•we have found sbow two feet in depth. A tolera- 
ble track is however beaten for us by a descrip- 
tion of pedlars, who pass by the name of Packers. 
These people carry on a considerable^ trade be- 
tween the Redstone settlements and Winchester, 
in Virginia, as also with several other villages 
in the "western part of that State. 

They take with them upon horses, bags of 
-flax, which article they purchase at Redstone at 
a low price ; this they dispose of at an advance, 
and in return carry salt, for which they are well 
paid at Redstone. It is not unusual to meet a 
Packer, having under his direction half a dozen 
loaded horses. " These animals on meeting travel- 
lers, go not turn aside from the beaten path W e 



THE WESTERN INDIANS, 



13 



were several times under difficulties in making 
our way through the snow on their account. 

3d mo. 1st. This day we travelled thirty-six 
miles, passed through the villages Woodstack 
and Uniontown, and after night reached the 
house of our friend, Jonah Cadwalader, in the 
neighborhood of Redstone, Old Fort, and near 
the Monongahela river. On our way we passed 
a place called the Great Meadows, upon the 
Alleghany Mountains. This place is noted for 
an entrenchment, cast up by General Washing- 
ton, then Colonel Washington, when retreating 
from a defeat given to a small force under his 
command, (near the junction of the Alleghany 
and Monongahela rivers,) history says by a much 
superior body of French and Indians. We also 
passed over the spot where Gen. Braddock wa« 
buried. His army of 1200 chosen men was de- 
feated near Fort Du Quesne, in an unexpected 
attack by the Indians. We are told that the 
General and half this number were killed, and 
sixty-four out of eighty-five of his officers ; of 
those who escaped was Washington, at the time 
Aid-de-Camp to General Braddock. The de- 
feated army brought off their dead commander 
and buried him in the road, in order to elude 
the search of the Indians for his dead body. 

It may be remarked that the land in the 
neighborhood of the Great Meadows is very 
level and the timber heavy, which indicates the 
goodness of the soil. A considerable body of 



14 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



this land was owned by Washington at the time 
of his death. 

This day's journey has been very disagreeable 
and cold, owing to a continued fall of snow. 
We greatly regretted that the clouds prevented 
a view of the Eedstone settlements from the top 
of Laurel Hill, this being that part of the Alle- 
ghany Mountains from which a descent is made 
into the country below. From this commanding 
eminence the prospect, we are told, is beautiful 
beyond description. 

Our disappointment, however, was in some 
measure recompensed by finding ourselves, when 
upon the top of this hill, not only above the 
clouds, but also so elevated in a cloud as to find 
the particles of snow resembling fog; a proof 
that large spits of snow, as they are called, ac- 
quire their size by an accumulation of particles 
on their way from the clouds to the earth. I may 
here mention, that the difficulties and fatigues 
of our journey thus far have been rendered light 
by the agreeable company of my brother-in-law, 
Thomas Moore, and our esteemed friend, Israel 
Janney, the former joining us at Brookeville, 
and the latter in the Shenandoah Valley. They 
are complying with an appointment by our late 
Yearly Meeting, in a visit to a Quarterly Meet- 
ing at Redstone. 

From the 1st to the 8th of the month, we 
rested at Redstone, a rest useful to our horses 
as well as to ourselves. In the course of this 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



15 



interval, we attended Redstone Quarterly Meet- 
ing. There were present several Friends from 
the State of Ohio, who reside upon a part of the 
tract of country called the Seven Ranges. They 
informed us that the Indian Chief, Tarhie,* a 
Wyandot of great distinction, with about one 
hundred hunters, mostly of the Wyandot nation, 
were hunting bears upon a branch of the Big 
Beaver, called Mahoning, within about twenty 
miles of their settlement, and that a fall of snow 
three feet in depth had placed them in a suffer- 
ing condition, they not making provision at their 
camp for such an event. In this situation the 
Friends received the following letter from Tar- 
hie. 

" My dear Brothers, Quakers, listen to what 
I now say to you. You always called us Indians 
your brothers, and now, dear white brothers, I 
am in distress, and. all my young men who are 
with me, 

" Brothers, will you please to help me to fill 
my kettles and my horses' troughs, for I am afraid 
my horses will not be able to carry me home 
again. 

" Neighbors, will you please to give, if it is 

*This was Tarhie, (or the Crane,) Chief of the 
Wyandots, whom Evan Thomas, and other members 
of the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meet- 
ing, visited at Upper Sandusky, in the 6th month, 
1*799, and of which a report was published in that 
year. See Appendix. 



16 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



but a handful a piece, and fetch it out to us, for 
my horses are not able to come after it. 
""This is all I have to say at present. 

"Tarhie. 

" To my Brothers, the Quakers" 

About the time of the reception of this letter, 
some Friends, who resided nearest to their hunt- 
ing camp, furnished them with a small supply 
of" provisions, which occasioned a second letter 
from Tarhie, as follows : 

" Brother Quakers, I have a few more words 
to say to you. 

" Brothers, I want that you should all know 
what distress I am in. 

" Brothers, I want you to know I have got 
help from some of my near neighbors. 

" Brothers, I would be glad to know what you 
will do for me, if it is but a little. 

" Brothers, if you cannot come soon, it will 
do bye and bye, for my belly is now full. 

" Brothers* I hope you have not forgot our 
great fathers; when they first met, it was in 
friendship ; we are of the same race. 

" My Brothers, Quakers, I hope our friendship 
will last as long as the world stands. All I have 
to say to you now is, that I shall stay here until 
two more moons are gone. "Tarhie. 
" Addressed to my Brothers, the Quakers." 

A considerable quantity of provisions were 
furnished by the Friends to these Indians, for 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



17 



which they expressed great thankfulness. Tar- 
hie himself divided the presents between man 
and man, making no difference for distioction 
in rank. 

These Friends were informed by Tarhie, that 
several years ago he had sent a talk to the In- 
dian Committee at Baltimore, accompanied by a 
belt of wampum, worth fifty dollars, and had 
long been waiting for an answer, but had not 
yet received one. 

In consequence of this information, a confer- 
ence was held at Redstone, between such of the 
members of the Indian Committee as could be 
convened there. The result was a request made 
to four Friends of the neighborhood adjacent to 
the Indian camp, to visit Tarhie, and inform him 
that his talk was not received by the Indian 
Committee, and that his belt of wampum never 
came to their hands. Also, if he had any thing 
now to say, he must write again to the Indian 
Committee. 

During our stay at Redstone, we had an op- 
portunity of seeing and admiring the richness 
of the land between the foot of the Alleghany 
Mountains and the Monongahela River. The 
people here seem to live in ease and plenty, and 
there is scarcely a plantation that does not afford 
stone coal and sugar trees. The coal is, I think, 
fully equal in quality to the best Liverpool coal, 
and is generally used for fuel in the place of 
wood; it being much easier and cheaper to pro- 
2* 



18 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



cure a supply of coal, than to procure wood, not- 
withstanding that article is in great plenty here. 

The sugar trees afford sugar in plenty to those 
who are sufficiently industrious to make it. Many 
families, we are told, make from five hundred to 
a thousand pounds, and others make from eight- 
een to twenty-five hundred weight, every spring. 
The trees do not appear to be injured by draw- 
ing off the sap. Molasses of excellent quality 
is also made from this tree, and also small beer, 
equal to any thing of the kind we met with at 
this place, produced from the sap. 

Shall I say, a proof of the instability of the 
human mind, under the most bountiful supply of 
temporal blessings, is to be drawn from the pre- 
sent disposition of the inhabitants of Redstone ? 
Blest with a country rich and fruitful, and posses- 
sing other great natural advantages, there is 
nevertheless a general feeling of discontent. The 
new country beyond the Ohio, lately opened for 
sale, has set the general mind afloat. We saw 
people who were well settled, and who some 
years ago, too, had passed the meridian of life, 
strongly affected with the prevailing mania. 

9th. The river Monongahela not^ having yet 
risen, we are greatly disappointed in our wish 
and intention to take boat at Redstone for the 
muuth of the Miami of the Ohio. We have, 
therefore, no other alternative than to prosecute 
a long and doubtless fatiguing journey by land. 
This morning, whilst we were preparing to pro- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



19 



eed on our route, two young men arrived at our 
quarters, for the purpose of accompanying us ) 
one of them a blacksmith, and a member of our 
Society, the other a carpenter, and a steady young 
man. They are under the pay of government, 
and have engaged to reside in the neighborhood 
of Fort Wayne, to be employed for the benefit 
and instruction of the Indians. Previous to our 
leaving home, we had reason to expect that we 
should be overtaken by these young men, and 
were glad to have our expectations realized. 

Again proceeding on our journey, we passed 
through Brownsville, a village on the Mononga- 
hela River ; crossed over that river in a boat, and 
rode about twenty-six miles to Washington, an 
inland town. Our ride to-day has been through 
a very hilly country, tolerably rich, though badly 
watered. It is said that one of the first survey- 
ors of this tract of country, when questioned re- 
specting its general appearance, replied, " It is 
like a large meadow filled with stacks of hay." 
A comparison very apropos. 

It is worthy of remark, that near Brownsville, 
on the Monongahela, are the remains of an old 
fortification, including several acres of ground. 
Mussel shells are yet very abnndant within the 
intrenchment ; and nearly opposite to the forti- 
fication are two fish pots extending quite across 
the river • they are made of stone, weighing gene- 
rally from thirty to forty pounds. It is said that 
the Indians who resided near the spot at the time 



20 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



of its discovery by the white men, had not even 
a traditional knowledge of the making of these 
fish pots, nor of the erection of the fortification. 

This day, in passing along, ray mind has been 
involved in much serious reflection on the im- 
portance of our mission. And I trust I have in 
no small degree felt the responsibility we are 
under, not to men only, but to the Great Author 
of all good, with an ardency not to be expressed, 
that we may indeed discharge the trust reposed 
in us, and perform the duty required of us with 
propriety. 

10th. Travelled thirty-four miles, and after 
ni^ht were glad to reach the house of our friend 
Jonathan Taylor, in the State of Ohio ; on our 
way we passed through the small villages of Tay- 
lorstown and W est Liberty. The tract of coun- 
try through which we have travelled is generally 
fertile and is mostly settled. In the course of 
this day's ride, it is observable that limestone is 
to be found on the tops of the highest hills, but 
is rarely found in the bottoms. 

It may now be noted that the hills between 
the Monongahela and the Ohio rivers are gene- 
rally of a very singular description, having two 
or three circular elevations, the surface of each 
elevation flat for the space of twenty-five to 
thirty feet in diameter. These flat appearances 
extend o^ite around the circumference of the 
hills, and seem to vie with art for regularity. 

This day we crossed in a boat the great river 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



21 



Ohio. On approaching it ; I felt no small degree 
of awe. The slow and majestic movement of so 
vast a body of running water, added to the re- 
collection of the blood which had been spilt re- 
lative to its shores, enforced the sensation. With 
what obstinacy the poor Indians resisted the de- 
signs of the white men in making settlements 
west of this river ! Having been driven further 
and further westward, relinquished claim to tract 
after tract, they here made a stand, fixed in a re- 
solve, hitherto ye may come, but no farther ! 
This river shall be the boundary between us ! 
It shall limit your encroachment ! The resist- 
ance they made, and the blood which was spilt, 
sufficiently prove the reluctance with which they 
gave up the contest. The bottom upon the west 
side of the river where we crossed, which was at 
the junction of Short Creek, is very rich, but not 
wide. In this bottom we observed a mound of 
earth cast up to the height of fifteen feet, its 
diameter at the base forty-five feet, and said to 
be a burial place, but whether made by the In- 
dians or not is not ascertained. It is said that 
two miles below this is a square fortification 
containing several acres of ground, enclosed by 
a bank of earth thrown up by art to the height 
of eight feet. 

Along the east shore of the river great de- 
struction was made a few years ago by a species 
of caterpillar which infested the trees. They 
fed upon the leaves, and thus killed trees ot 



22 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



enormous size. Their havoc extended for many 
miles along the river, and reached ahout seven 
or eight miles from the shore. 

11th. This day being First-day, we rested 
ourselves and horses, and were glad to have an 
opportunity of attending a meeting of Friends, 
called Short Creek Meeting. A Monthly Meet- 
ing is lately established here by Redstone Quar- 
terly Meeting. About forty Friends were at 
this meeting, and most of them were new settlers. 
The greater number had moved from North 
Carolina. The meeting was held in a log house 
or cabin, situated upon a beautiful hill, covered 
with lofty timber. The difficulties and incon- 
veniences of a new settlement, are rendered the 
more easy and tolerable, where, as in the instance 
of these Friends, a number of families, by agree- 
ment, form a settlement in the same neighbor- 
hood. In the afternoon several of them visited 
us at our lodgings, and expressed sympathy with 
us in our undertaking. 

12th. Proceeded on our journey ; travelled 
thirty-one miles and reached Randallstown ; part 
of the day has been rainy, and the riding very 
disagreeable. We have passed through a body 
of land heavily timbered and very rich. There 
are yet but few settlements made on this tract. 
The fiist settlers in this new country erect small 
log cabins, which they cover with split timber 
called puncheons ; these they pin to the rafters 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



23 



with wooden pins. Nails are rarely to be found 
in any part of the house. Their floors are hewn 
out of the timber, and pinned to the sleepers 
with wooden pins. They clear their land by 
killing the timber, which is done by girdling the 
trees, that is by cutting the bark around the 
trees to the wood. They then proceed to the 
cultivation of the soil, which produces them abun- 
dant crops. 

It is a common practice with them to sow 
small grain upon the original surface, which is 
harrowed in> and such is the looseness and light- 
ness of the soil, there seems but little necessity 
for the plough in raising the first crop of grain. 

Our road led us across a water of the Ohio 
called Captena; also several streams belonging to 
a river called Stillwater ; thus named from its 
slow, silent progress to the Muskingum. 

13th. This day we travelled twenty-five miles 
and reached Beathe's Ordinary. We have had 
a very disagreeable day's ride. A continued fall 
of rain, hail, and snow, and the road very miry 
and fatiguing to our horses. The land through 
which we have passed not quite so good gene- 
rally as that noted yesterday. We, however? 
saw considerable bodies of excellent land, parti- 
cularly of bottoms. Some of them were of far 
greater extent than any we have heretofore met 
with, being heavily timbered and very rich. 
Scarcely a settlement has yet been made in this* 



24 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



tract • deer are very plenty here. It is to be re- 
marked, that in riding the last fifty miles, we 
have scarcely seen one of any of the descriptions 
of the feathered tribes, except owls. Birds love 
to resort to the haunts of men. 

Squirrels appear to be very numerous, and 
are mostly of a deep black color. In the notes 
made on crossing the Alleghany Mountains, I 
omitted to observe that the squirrels we saw 
there were mostly red, and less in size than the 
grey squirrels of Maryland. They are the most 
active squirrel I ever saw, and are called by the 
mountaineers the Chipparee Squirrel. 

We this day crossed several of the branches a. 
Will's Creek. This creek we understand derivec 
its name from Will, a famous Indian, who former- 
ly had a town upon its banks called Willstown. 

14th. Travelled twenty-five miles, crossing'in 
our way the main branch of Will's Creek and a 
water called Salt Creek ; at night reached Zanes- 
ville, and lodged at M'Intire's tavern. This is 
a town lately laid out on the Muskingum river, 
opposite to the junction of Licking creek. Its 
situation is verv level and handsome, and will 
doubtless command the trade of this new coun- 
try. As we approached the Muskingum, our road 
led us upon a hill of about 200 feet elevation, 
upon which we rode for a distance of seven 
miles ; both upon our right and left hand, were 
chains of hills about ten miles from us, in 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



25 



view, bearing the same westerly direction, with 
that upon which we travelled. The appearance 
of these hills revived the recollection of the 
Blue Ridge, and its parallel mountains. Several 
mounds or burial places were to-day observed 
by us. 

15th. This day we travelled thirty miles and 
lodged at a small hut called Trimble's. 

We ferried the beautiful river Muskingum at 
Zanesville, where it is about 600 feet wide, rode 
through a tolerable tract of land, till we reached 
a creek called Jonathan's creek. From this 
^reek to the end of this day's journey, a distance 
■of twenty miles, we rode through land which we 
'think preferable to any tract we have yet passed, 
being more level, the timber heavier and the soil 
very rich ; many Germans are making settlements 
here. Several mounds fell under our observa- 
tion to-day ; we also saw many deer ; seventeen 
of these were together in one wheat field. 

16th. Rode thirty-two miles, and at night 
were permitted to lodge under a roof called 
Gray's. We passed through New Lancaster, a 
town lately laid out, and situated on the great 
Hock-hocking river, as it is called upon the 
maps. Its size greatly disappointed me ; an ac- 
tive man may jump from one of its banks to the 
other at New Lancaster. 

This town as well as the neighboring country, 
is being rapidly settled by Germans. During 



i 



26 JOUENAL OF A VISIT TO 

our day's ride, the extraordinary beauty of the 
country, as well as the superior excellency of the 
land, excited our admiration. Now and then a 
prairie or natural meadow containing from fifty 
to two hundred acres, apparently a perfect level, 
having neither tree, shrub, stump, or stone, and 
the soil the deepest black I ever saw in any com- 
position of earths, attracted our notice. These 
were surrounded by higher ground, covered with 
lofty timber, extending to the next prairie, ana 
thus on till we reached a tract called the Piqua 
Plains Here our admiration was afresh excited 
by a view of the most beautiful seenery we had 
vet met with. This tract is perfectly level ; it is 
situated upon the Scioto river is seven miles in 
length, and generally three miles m width, hav- 
ing neither tree, stone or shrub, and composed 
of "the black earth above described ; it is m part 
*nder cultivation. About the centre of the 
prairie is a circular mound of large diameter, 
and about forty feet in height, cast up by art. 
It is covered with lofty timber. The people 
who cultivate these plains find them to produce 
from eighty to one hundred bushels of Indian 
corn, and from forty to fifty bushels of wheat 
ner acre They plant corn at the distance ot 
two and a half to three feet apart, having six to 
eight stalks in a hill. 

In the course of this day's journey we have 
seen deer and turkeys in abundance, and for 



THE WESTEEN INDIANS. 



27 



several days past have seen vast numbers of 
pigeons. 

17th. Travelled fifteen miles and arrived at 
the town of Chilicofche, where we were well en- 
tertained at Tiffin's tavern. The governor of 
the State of Ohio resides here, who having 
heard of our arrival, paid us a visit in the even- 
ing and supped with us. We were pleased with 
his friendly affability. In the course of this 
day's short ride, our road led through a continua- 
tion of the finest lands. 

It is remarkable that there are uniformly 
three gradations of elevation, from the banks of 
the Seioto river. The first is a bottom of about 
one mile in extent, very level and covered with 
black walnut, buck eye, blue ash, honey locust, 
and sugar trees. Then upon another elevation 
of about fifteen feet, a second bottom, which ex- 
tends from one to two miles, covered with the 
same descriptions of timber, though heavier, and 
the trees standing nearer together. Then an- 
other elevation about the same height, whieh ex- 
tends for many miles, being a little inclined to 
hills ; the timber composed of a great variety. 
People are settling fast upon this tract, and 
several mills are already erected upon a creek 
belonging to the Scioto, which we crossed, called 
the Killakanik. 

On our way we turned aside from our road 
to view an ancient fortification. This fortifica- 



23 



JOURNAL OF A YISIT TO 



tion is on the Scioto bottom adjacent to the river, 
and is shaped thus. 




Ancient Fortification on Scioto River. A pictorial representa- 
tion of this Indian antiquity has been published m the Smithson- 
ian Contributions to Knowledge, vol. 1, plate xvni. 

The bank of earth thrown up around the for- 
tification is about six feet high, surrounded by 
a ditch upon the outside, now four feet in width, 
and as many in depth. The bank is covered 
with lofty timber, as is also the ground within 
the intrenchment. There are several mounds 
such as have heretofore been described in the 
vicinity, and within the town of Chilicothe there 
is another fortification of which the diameter is 
about 450 feet. Near this is the largest mound 



il 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 29 

we have seen, being 100 feet in diameter, and 
thirty feet in height, and is a globular figure of 
great regularity. Three miles below the town 
of Chilieothe, and between the Scioto and Paint 
Creek, and near their junction, is a fortification 
of the following figure : 




* 



The banks of this ancient work are about six 
feet in height. The eight small circles opposite 
the openings or gates are mounds of considerable 
size. 

I had omitted to mention, that on the east 
bank of the Scioto, nearly opposite Chilieothe, 
we measured to-day a sycamore tree which was 
sixteen feet in diameter. The tree is hollow, 
and measures thirteen feet across the hollow. 
New settlers have frequently encamped in this 
tree with their families, whilst they were making 
choice of laad to settle upon. 

18th. Proceeded upon our journey fifteen 
miles and lodged at Platter's tavern. On our 
way we passed many mounds. Several of them 



i 



30 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



were of the shape and size of the one described 
in the town of Cbilicothe. Our attention was 
also arrested by the appearance of a bank thrown 
tip at some distance from our road 5 on riding to 
it we found it to be a very extensive fortifica- 
tion. It is situated upon a level plain near 
Paint Creek, one of the waters of the Scioto 
4 river. As this is a work of great labor and curi- 
osity, I shall be minute in my description and 
give the following figure. 




Ancient Fortification on Paint Creek, near CMlicethe, contain 
ing within the embankments nearly one hundred acres. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



31 



The bank which is cast up for the fortification 
is now fully four feet in height, and thirty-three 
in width, at the base covered with lofty timber,, 

The figure marked (A) is a very regular oval 
mound 500 feet in diameter, from one extremity 
to another the longest way, and 300 feet in 
diameter the other way ; perpendicular height is 
about thirty feet. This mound is paved over 
with stone, and has upon it trees of large size, as 
well as the remains of decaying trees, which 
after acquiring their full growth have fallen. 
The two circles marked (B) are very perfect 
globular figures. They are one hundred feet in 
diameter, and about thirty feet perpendicular 
height. 

The remaining eight small circles represent 
mounds which are from eighty to one hundred feet 
in diameter, and from twenty-five to thirty feet 
perpendicular height, being also globular figures, 
and all covered with lofty timber. The semi- 
circle (C) is a bank of earth thrown up to the 
height of about three feet, its diameter about 
one hundred and fifty feet. 

Near the outer banks of this extraordinary 
fortification are many large holes in the earth, 
at least one hundred feet in diameter, and of 
considerable depth. These are no doubt places 
out of which the earth was in part taken for 
making this work of labor. 

The land through which we have passed to- 
day, is a continuation of a country, very level 



32 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



and beautiful, being situated on Paint Creek ; 
the soil, the same in appearance as that de- 
scribed yesterday, nothing seeming to indicate 
its superior richness, unless it be the size of its 
timber. The heaviest and most towering trees 
we have seen, we met with to-day. Our progress 
was impeded by our curiosity to take the girth 
of many of the trees ; we measured white oaks 
which were from seven to eight feet in diameter; 
walnuts, six to seven feet four inches; elms, six 
to six feet eight inches ; ash, five feet, and 
honey locusts four feet in diameter; the girths 
taken eight feet above the surface of the earth. 
These trees carried their thickness to an amazing 
height. 

We also measured a few sycamore trees, and 
most of them were from eight to ten feet in 
diameter ; one of the sycamores we measured 
which was eight feet in diameter, continued its 
thickness forty-five feet without a limb, its top 
very branching and large. While we were admir- 
ing it, Philip Dennis* suggested an opinion 
that this tree, could it be split into cord-wood 
after the common manner, would measure forty 
cords. At first we questioned the statement, 
but upon making a calculation, became con- 
vinced that his estimate was within bounds. 

These were not trees singled out as the only 
monuments ; we turned not aside to search for 
them, but measured such as fell under our own 
observation in passing over our road. It is more 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 33 



than probable that there are trees in the same 
tract larger than any we saw. Few settlements 
are yet made here. 

19th. Rode seventeen miles, and reached the 
residence of our friend William Lupton, upon 
Lee's Creek, one of the head waters of Paint 
Creek. Our road led us eight times across Paint 
Creek ; passing a great part of the way through 
the bottoms of Paint Creek. The land the same 
in appearance as remarked yesterday. In the 
course of our ride, we saw many hundreds of 
poplars which were the more observable, as we 
have scarcely noticed a poplar since we crossed 
the Ohio. These trees are generally seven to 
eight feet six inches in diameter, many of them 
continuing their thickness for fifty feet in height^ 
and very handsome and sound. On the bot- 
toms we saw deer in abundance; they were 
so gentle as to allow us to pass by them 
quite within gun shot. They appeared to be 
busy in cropping the young grass. We have 
also observed several mounds and fortifications 
near the falls to Paint Creek, and others nearly 
adjacent of which the banks are about three and 
a half feet high. 

Upon this Creek there are many beaver 
dams, and beavers are still caught here by the 
Indians. For several days past we have seen 
many hunting camps but no Indians. Several 
families of Friends have settled in this remote 
quarter of the Western Territory. They have 



84 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



removed from Virginia and North Carolina, and 
expect to be followed by others. They tell us 
that an indulged meeting is held in one of their 
liouseg. 

There is much to induce Friends of the South- 
ern States, to remove to this new country ; for, 
added to the consideration of the superior quality 
of the land, and the cheap and easy terms upon 
which it is to be purchased, there is an invalu- 
able regulation in the Constitution of Ohio, pro- 
hibiting the introduction of slaves. The Con- 
stitution has also provided that no person with- 
in the State shall voluntarily relinquish his right 
to freedom, Its framers have even gone further; 
they declare that they have made these regula- 
tions to be binding both upon them and upon 
their posterity. 

This truly valuable country is forbidden ground 
to the Virginia slave-holders. Many of them 
have approached as near to its borders as they 
have dared, by settling along the east shore of 
the Ohio river ; their murmurs induced several 
persons in the State of Ohio, to offer themselves 
as candidates to the late State Legislature, de- 
claring their determination to use their influence 
in obtaining an alteration in this part of the 
Constitution- We are told that on account of 
this avowal, they met with the most pointed and 
zealous opposition ; the people declaring gene- 
rally, that one of the inducements which led 
them to emigrate to the State, was the Constitu- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



35 



ticmal provision by which slavery was interdicted, 
and that any alteration therein would be an in- 
supportable grievance. 

20th. This day rode fifteen miles, and reached 
Hugh Evans's, upon Clear Creek, on e of the head 
waters of the Bocky Fork of Paint Creek. The 
country through which we have passed is up- 
land and lies level. The timber is heavy and 
much interspersed with blue ash, hackberry ? 
walnut and sugar trees. There is scarcely a set- 
tlement yet made here. 

21st. Our progress has been impeded for 
several days past, two of our horses belonging 
to our company having faltered. This day we 
concluded to rest them by continuing at the 
house of Hugh Evans, who is hearty and cheerful 
at seventy-four years of age, his wife equally 
so, and seventy-two years of age. The old man 
appears to make me welcome at his house, say- 
ing he knew my father, having early in life been 
his neighbor, and has made many inquiries after 
the families of the people who were his old ac- 
quaintance. He says he has six children, all of 
whom have married to his satisfaction, and that 
they lately removed with him from Kentucky, 
and are settled around him, each of them upon 
five hundred acres of land which he has given 
them. He says that it affords him great conso- 
lation now in the decline of life, to reflect that 
his acquisitions are the fruits of his honest in- 
dustry. 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



22d. This day rode twenty-three miles, and 
lodged at SewelPs Cabin, — a day of snow and 
rain. We crossed the ridge which divides the 
waters of the Scioto from those of the Little 
Miami river. Passed several of the head 
branches of the latter, as also a considerable 
creek called the East Fork of the Little Miami. 
On one of the bottoms of the creek we noticed a 
fortification. The bank cast up around was about 
four feet high. We also observed within a few 
rods several mounds. It is truly a beautiful 
country through which we have passed to-day ; 
the land is level, covered with lofty timber, and 
the soil very rich, scarcely a settlement yet 
made. 

23d. Continued our journey, and after riding 
fourteen miles, reached the house of Samuel 
Linton, at Wainsville, upon the Little Miami 
river, where we were kindly received. At this 
place we rested ourselves and horses, acquired 
information respecting our future route, and 
equipped ourselves for the increasing difficulties 
of the wilderness. 

The settlement made here is composed chiefly 
of Friends ; about thirty families reside in this 
neighborhood. A Monthly Meeting is held 
here called Miami Monthly Meeting, to which 
about thirty families more belong who are scat- 
tered over an extensive tract of country. 

Our attention was attracted to-day by the ap- 
pearance of the stone, not only in the beds of 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



37 



the rivers and creeks, but also upon the hills 
and in the valleys. They are limestone, and are 
composed altogether of marine shells. The stone 
when broken discovers the size and shape of the 
shells very perfectly. 

These shells are of the same description with 
those I have formerly obtained from the banks 
of the Chesapeake Bay, in the lower part of the 
State of Maryland. It may be remarked, that 
no shell-fish of this description are at present to 
be found in any of the waters of our Continent. 

The country west of the Ohio river through 
which we have passed is a limestone country, 
the very pebbles and even sand in many places 
are limestone. 

Heretofore I have omitted to mention that in 
the neighborhood of Chilicothe, we amused our- 
selves with the earths and stones, which were 
dug out of the ground in sinking wells. There 
are several layers or strata of limestone, gravel, 
and sand, within a few feet of the surface of the 
earth. Some of the stones contain the above 
description of marine shells, and in breaking 
some of the large gravel we found appearances 
of the same shells. The stones as well as the 
gravel have evident marks of their having been 
washed with water, their shape inclining greatly 
to rotundity. 

24th. Again proceeded upon our journey, and 
after riding eight miles reached Dayton, where 
we lodged. This town is newly laid out, situ- 
4 



38 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



ated upon the Great Miami river, nearly op- 
posite to the junction of Still Water and Mad 
river, with the Miami, which is here about one 
hundred and sixty feet in width. We have 
passed to dav the Ridge which divides the waters 
of the Little and Great Miami, and crossed 
several of the streams belonging to the Great 
Miami. The tract of country between the 
two, through, which we have passed to-day. 
is of the "most beautiful and desirable de- 
scription. The land lies in waves of great regu- 
larity, is crossed with heavy towering timber, 
and the soil inexhaustibly rich. At Dayton 
were two block houses, which were erected by 
the white men, as places of retreat and defence 
against an attack by the Indians. 

-25th. Rode twenty-one miles, and reached a 
small village called Staunton, situated upon the 
Great Miami river. The country continues^ to 
exhibit a beautiful appearance, though the tim- 
ber is not generally so heavy as noted yesterday. 
We passed several extensive and rich prairies, 
and forded Mad river a little above its mouth. 
The river derives its name from its swift current. 
We also crossed several streams belonging to the 
Great Miami. 

26th. This day after riding fifteen miles, we 
reached Flinn's ordinary, where we were disap- 
pointed in finding no feed for our horses. We 
also received the information that there was no 
probability of our obtaining provision for them 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



39 



short of Fort Wayne; we therefore despatched 
a part of our company to a house we had passed 
about four miles, in quest of corn. They obtained 
four bushels, and hired a man and horse to travel 
with us and bring the corn along. For many 
days past our horses have suffered for want of 
hay, and being fed altogether upon corn they 
have lost their appetites. 

The face of the country in the course of this 
day's short journey is a continuation of beautiful 
land; being level, and finely timbered. We 
passed through a handsome prairie containing 
several hundred acres called the Lower Piqua 
Plain, crossed Honey Creek and Lost Creek, 
two considerable streams of the Great Miami. 

Thus far in our route we have been favored 
with respect to the waters, no rain having fallen 
lately to raise the creeks and rivers to a height 
sufficient to detain us. In fording some of the 
streams we have thought that even six inches 
greater depth would take our horses off their feet. 
There is considerable danger in fording many of 
the streams we have passed, from the unevenness 
of the stony bottoms of the rivers. The beds of 
the rivers are mostly limestone, and being worn 
smooth by the washing of the water, horses are apt 
to fall. This was to-day the case with my horse in 
fording the Miami, from which accident I got 
very wet. 

During our detention here this afternoon, we 
observed a flock of birds alighting from the trees 3 



40 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



different in appearance from any we had seen. 
Our landlord informed us they were parrots, and 
that they were common upon the Great Miami ; 
and to gratify our curiosity he shot one. It was 
about the size of a dove, and its plumage resem- 
bled the green parrot of South America, the 
head red, and the wings tipped with the same 
color, the tail long and the bill and tongue of 
the same description as the chattering parrot. 
As they alighted from the trees, they made a 
hoarse noise resembling the chattering of the 
common parrot. 

There is also a woodcock here resembling the 
red headed woodcock of Maryland, except that 
its head is black and its bill ivory. 

At this place General Wayne erected a 
fortification when on his march against the In- 
dians, a part of which is now standing. Our 
landlord occupies one of the houses which was 
at that time built and enclosed within the stock- 
ade. From the late period in the day at which 
our supply of corn arrived for the horses, we 
have concluded to remain at our quarters; the 
landlord tells us we shall be welcome to sleep 
upon his floor, and has promised to make us a 
good fire to sleep by. 

This is a kind of lodgment to which we have 
become well accustomed, having heretofore in 
our journey often had to wrap ourselves in our 
blankets and to lie upon floors, always observing 
the necessary precaution of laying our feet to the 
fire; we have in no instance taken cold. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



27th. This day rode fourteen miles, and on 
our way passed a larger prairie than the one we 
saw yesterday, which is called the Upper Piqua 
Plains. We have also passed a body of land 
heavily timbered, but its very level situation 
renders it not desirable. Through this tract we 
have found a very deep and miry road, and 
have regretted the necessity of a slow movement. 
Our hired man has to lead his horse, the bag of 
corn being too heavy for the horse to bear his 
weight also. We reached a place called Lora- 
mier's store, where we found a shelter and 
lodged, having through the latter part of the 
day rode through rain. On our way we twice 
crossed a considerable water of the Miami called 
Loramier's Creek. 

At this place there is a very large fortification 
made by General Wayne called Port Loramier. 
And here it is that the line of division between 
the white people and the Indians passes agree- 
ably to the treaty of peace* between the Indians 
and General Wayne. I may here remark that 
for many days in passing along, we have ob- 
served hunting camps erected by the Indians, 
but no Indians in them. 

It is probable they are at present at or near 
their towns. We have observed from day to 
day many curious, and to us unintelligible In- 
dian hieroglyphics cut upon the trees. We have 
also been entertained in examining these figures, 
sometimes cut, at other times painted on the 



* Treaty of Grenville, for which see Appendix. 
4* 



42 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



wood after cutting away the bark, the figures of 
elks, the horns of the elk, the figures of buffaloes, 
bears, wolves, deer, raccoons, and various other 
wild beasts, and birds of different species ; turtles 
and reptile creatures; also the representation of 
men, women and children, boys with bows and 
arrows shooting game, and men with their 
guns aiming at game, or in the act of pursuing 
it, &c. &c. 

As a testimony in favor of the virtue and 
modesty of these men of the woods, I note, that 
we have not yet observed amongst this variety 
of figures, one unchaste representation. 

28th. Rode twenty-two miles through a flat 
country, heavily timbered ; at night we encamped 
in the woods, made a large fire, fared sumptu- 
ously upon wild pigeons, wrapped ourselves in 
our blankets and slept soundly. Our pigeons 
were shot by one of our company who carries a 
gun. There are at this time vast numbers of 
this fowl scattered over the woods. They breed 
here undisturbedly. Squirrels are also very 
numerous. We now and then see a few deer. 
They are not plenty here. Wolves, opossums, 
raccoons, and some other descriptions of wild 
game are abundant. We have not yet seen a 
bear, though they are very plenty throughout 
the region we have passed over. This is owing 
to a remarkable fact in the history of this crea- 
ture. They betake themselves to dens in the 
holes of trees, at an early period of the winter, 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



43 



where they remain till the 1st of the 4th month. 
During this interval they never leave their holes, 
and as they lay up no store for the winter sup- 
ply, it is certain they live without eating. The 
Indians say they live by sucking their paws. 
The means by which their lives are supported 
in their recluse situation, I shall not undertake 
to determine. I shall however observe that when 
taken from their dens they are always very fat 
We have met with much of their meat, and can 
assert that we have seen the thickness of four 
inches of fat between the skin and the lean which 
€Overs the ribs. During the winter the Indians 
find the bears by searching for their dens in the 
trees, which they know by the marks made by 
the claws of the bear in climbing. 

We have now reached the waters of the lakes, 
having to day forded one of the forks of the St. 
Mary's river. On our way we passed for a few 
miles along a road one hundred feet wide, cut 
by General Wayne's army for transporting pro- 
visions from the great Miami to the St. Mary's 
river. The road is now grown up with briars 
and shrubs. 

Shortly after we had made our fire, and with 
the approach of night we heard at a short dis- 
tance from us, a whooping in the woods. We 
laad reason to believe from the shrill and uncom- 
mon whoop, that it was the voice of an Indian, 
and having underst >od that it was a custom 
among them when about to approach a camp, to 



44 



JOURNAL OF A TISIT TO 



give notice by a whoop, we failed not to return 
the ceremony also by a whoop. In a few mo- 
ments two Indian men upon a horse, followed by 
two women and a girl upon another horse, rode 
up to our camp. Their countenances were smil- 
ing and indicative of friendship, As we reached 
them our hands, they shook them saying, " Saga, 
Saga, niches/' which we have since learned was 
theTsalutation, " How do you do, brothers/ 5 They 
could not speak English, but putting their hands 
to their breasts expressed, " Delawares, Dela- 
wares," from which we gathered they were 
Delaware Indians. They had their bunting ap- 
paratus with them, and pointing several times 
to the south, we concluded they wished to make 
us understand that their camp was in that direc- 
tion, and that they were on their way to it. 
After looking upon us for some Biinutes they 
left us. 

29th. Very early this morning we again pro- 
ceeded, and this day rode thirty miles, a laborious, 
fatiguing journey to ourselves and horses. Our 
path leading through a fiat country we find the 
travelling miry and deep. Our horses are to be 
pitied, the stock of corn we procured for them 
is exhausted, and the only food they can 
now get is the grass in the woods. For several 
nights past we have turned them loose to graze. 
These poor creatures feed around our camps and 
appear afraid to leave us. 

This day we crossed the St. Mary's where its 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



45 



width was about one hundred and fifty feet, it is 
said to be a very deep river. An old Indian 
and his squaw reside here, and he undertook to 
ferry us across in a canoe. Our horses swam 
the river, and got over well. The old Indian, 
whose name is Stephen, very unintentionally 
swam also. This accident was owing to the mis- 
conduct of some of the packers, who, on their 
way to Fort Wayne with provisions, gave Stephen 
too much whisky. Philip Dennis was in the 
canoe with him wheu he accidentally fell over- 
board ; we were greatly alarmed for his safety, 
knowing that he was intoxicated, but after dis- 
appearing for a few seconds, he rose to the sur- 
face of the water, and soon convinced us that he 
eould swim. Philip caught him by his blanket, 
and got him again into the boat. The old man 
laughed very heartily at the accident, saying to 
us in broken English, " No fear, me ferry you 
in de canoe yet." Our blacksmith having in- 
formed Stephen of his expectation of settling in 
the Indian country for the benefit of the red 
people, and the old man finding also that our 
company were all prosecuting their travels for 
benevolent purposes, exercised his gratitude by 
telling us " You pay one quarter dollar de man ; 
Bobody keep canoe here but Stephen ; he make 
the white people pay dollar, I make dem packers 
pay me de rest." In Stephen's hut we observed 
several Indians who were asleep. He says they 
are Indians who have come a great distance and 



46 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



are tired. " Baring the greater part of this day 
we have rode through a heavy rain. The rain 
continuing with the approach of night, we made 
a large fire, and erected a shelter in imitation of 
the Indian hunting camps, covering it with our 
blankets. Under this we slept, and were but 
little incommoded, notwithstanding the rain 
continued during the greater part of the night. 

I must not omit to mention that we to-day 
passed through a very level plain containing 
many thousand acres. This plain is almost with- 
out trees. The soil nearly hid by the weeds and 
grass of last year's growth ; the luxuriance of 
which plainly demonstrates its extraordinary fer- 
tility. In this plain we observed a small pond 
or lake in which were wild geese and ducks in 
abundance. We are informed that this is one 
of the places where wild fowl raise their young. 

30th. Pursued our path and travelled twenty- 
three miles through a very fertile, heavily tim- 
bered and beautiful country, being a little moie 
inclined to hills. The ride to-day has been a 
pleasing one, in part doubtless from the reflec- 
tion that the day would probably close a long, 
tedious and arduous journey. We at last reached 
Fort Wayne. As we approached the Fort, 
having reached it within about thirty rods, we 
were saluted by a sentinel with the word t( Halt." 
We obeyed the command. A sergeant was de- 
spatched from the commanding officer, who en- 
quired of us on his behalf, " Where are you 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



going/' and " What is your business/' We de- 
sired him to inform the commandant that we 
were strangers, and that we had an introductory 
letter directed to him which would explain our 
business. 

The officer shortly returned to us with an in- 
vitation to advance; we accordingly proceeded, 
and were met very politely by the commanding 
officer, Capt. Whipple, to whom we handed the 
following letter from the Secretary of War. 

" War Department, February 20, 1804. 

'•Gentlemen —This wilt be handed you by 
Messrs. George Ellicott, Joel Wright, and Gerard 
T. Hopkins, who are a deputation from the So- 
ciety of Friends in Maryland, for visiting the In- 
dians in the western country for the laudable 
purpose of affording them assistance in the intro- 
duction of the arts of civilization. 

They are men of high respectability, are ac- 
tuated by the best motives, and are entitled^ to 
all the civilities in your power to bestow. You 
will please to afford them all necessary aid, and 
treat them with such marks of respectful atten- 
tion as are due to citizens whose disinterested 
services deserve the plaudits of every good man. 

" I am, very respectfully, your humble servant, 
" Henry Dearborn.* 

*; To the commanding officer at Fort Wayne. 

" Mr. John Johnson, Indian Factor. 

" Mr. William Wells, Indian Agent." ^ 

* General Dearborn was well acquainted with the 
members of the mission who resided at Ellicott's 



48 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



After delivering this letter we proceeded to 
the house of a Canadian trader, who we had pre- 
viously been informed would furnish us with 
accommodations. 

In the evening the Commandant followed us 
to our quarters, discovering marks of great re- 
spect and attention, and appears to be a gentle- 
man. He has urgently pressed us to dine with 
him to-morrow ; and we have accepted the invi- 
tation. 

31st. This morning the commanding officer, 
accompanied by John Johnson and William 
Veils, the two other persons named in the letter 
to the Secretary of War, waited upon us. They 



Mills, and letters "frequently passed between them. 
He was deeply interested in the improvement of the 
Indian tribes, and having heard of the deputation 
about to be sent from the Friends of Maryland to 
Fort Wayne, he drew up this letter, and also the one 
which will be seen in the following pages to the com- 
manding officer, and the Indian agent at Detroit, and 
wishing to impart all the information he possessed, 
to relieve a journey to a place then considered so dis- 
tant a settlement, he took the trouble to deliver 
them in person at Ellicott's Mills, and suggest the 
return of the mission by the way of Lake Erie and 
Niagara. The General was a noble looking man, and 
although he had been actively engaged in our Re- 
volutionary war, still appeared to be in the vigor of 
life ; he made the trip from Washington to Ellicott's 
Mills on horse-back attended by his son and a ser- 
vant, a distance of forty miles, and returned the 
next day in the same way. - T, 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



49 



expressed to us they were glad to see us, and 
invited us with marks of earnestness, each one, 
to make his house our home. We thanked them 
for their kindness, and accepted the invitation 
of the Factor, John Johnson, whom we accom- 
panied to his house. 

i In an interview with these three persons we 
communicated to them more fully the object of 
our visit, and consulted with them respecting 
the best mode to pursue, in order to effect our 
purpose. It was deemed advisable that an ex- 
press be sent to the Little Turtle and to the Five 
Medals. The former residing at his town called 
Turtle's Town, about eighteen miles frum this 
place, situated upon Eel river, a water of the 
Wabash, and the latter on the river St. Joseph 
of Lake Michigan, about forty miles hence, in- 
forming them of our arrival at Foit Wayne, and 
that we wished to see each of them there at an 
early period. This charge William Wells readily 
took upon himself, and we have no doubt he will 
comply with his engagement. 

We fulfilled our promise in dining to-day with 
Capt. W T hipple, the commanding officer. We 
were all accompanied to his house by John 
Johnson, who dined with us. The officer behaved 
with a freedom and gentility becoming a well 
bred man. After dinner he showed us more 
fully the fort. This fortification which was 
built by General Wayne, is large and substantial, 
and is situated opposite to the junction of the 



50 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



St. Mary's and St. Joseph's rivers, and precisely 
the place from which those waters take the name 
of the Miami of the Lake * bearing that name 
to Lake Erie. The fort commands a beautiful 
view of these rivers, as also of an extent of 
about four miles square of cleared land. Much 
of this land has been cleared by the army of the 
United States, and much of it was formerly done 
by the Miami Indians ; they having had a large 
town here. It is said that in the year 1785, the 
Indian town then at this place contained upwards 
of one thousand warriors. The garrison kept 
here at present contains about forty officers and 
soldiers It being a time of profound peace with 
the Indians, government have withdrawn the 
lar^e force formerly kept at this station. _ 

The spot where Fort Wayne is situated is ren- 
dered famous in Indian history. It was here 
that the Indians gave the army of General Har- 
raar a second defeat by which several hundred 
of his men fell. Their bones lie scattered upon 
the surface of the earth, and we are told that 
the route by which the army made an escape 
can be readily traced for the distance of five or 
six miles by the bones of those slain by the In- 

dl< The grave of the Toad, nephew to the Little 
Turtle, a distinguished young chief, who with 
the Little Turtle and other chiefs visited the 



* Now called the Maumee river. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



51 



Friends of Baltimore two years ago, is here ; he 
died very suddenly on his return from that jour- 
ney. His death was greatly lamented by the 
Indians, and for a long time after his burial his 
grave was visited by them, and many singular 
ceremonies performed over it. They buried with 
him his rifle, his hunting apparatus, his best 
clothing, all his ornaments, trinkets, &c, &c. &c, 
their value being not less than three hundred 
dollars. 

4th month 1st. This day is the first day of the 
week, and the inhabitants of Fort Wayne appear 
to pay no respect to it. The soldiers are on 
duty, and the Canadians who are settled here 
are busied with their several occupations. After 
breakfast we paid a visit to William Wells, and 
after spending several hours with him returned 
to our quarters. In the afternoon we observed 
three Indians advancing toward our lodgings, 
and soon discovered that one of them was the 
Five Medals, the other two were his sons. He 
had not heard of our arrival till he reached Fort 
Wayne, and the only information he had ob- 
tained was that some Quakers had come. Busi- 
ness had brought him to the fort. They were 
invited into our room, when the chief instantly 
recognized us both. He appeared glad to see 
us ; and shook hands with both of us very hearti- 
ly. A person being present who understood the 
Pottowattamy language, he said to him pointing 
to me, " This is the man who wrote our talks in 
Baltimore. " 



52 



JOURNAL OJ A VISIT TO 



The Five Medals very deliberately and can- 
didly replied to our inquiry after his health as 
follows : " That in the course of last fall he went 
to Detroit, that whilst there the white people 
made him drink whiskey. That after he had 
accomplished his business there, he set out for 
his home, and got upon his horse whilst the 
whiskey was in his head. That he had not rode 
far before he fell from his horse, and was very 
much hurt by the fall, and that ever since that 
time he had not been well." 

After some further mutual inquiries, relative 
to the welfare of red and white acquaintance, we 
informed him through an interpreter that we 
had come to see our red brethren, that we had 
messages for both the Little Turtle and himself, 
and were glad that it had so happened that we 
had come. That we hoped the Little Turtle 
would come to-morrow, and that we wished to 
see them together, having something to say to 
them. He appeared pleased with this informa- 
tion, and expressed that he had made a camp 
not far off, where he would wait for the arrival 
of the Little Turtle. After some general con- 
versation he withdrew, bidding us farewell. 

4th mo. 2d. Being invited to dine to-day with 
William Wells, who " is interpreter for the In- 
dians, we went to his house accordingly, having 
the company of our very worthy and kind land- 
lord. 

About mid-day the Little Turtle arrived. He 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 53 

approached us with a countenance placid be- 
yond description ; took us by the hand with cor- 
diality, and expressed himself in terras of great 
gladness at meeting with us. He inquired very 
particularly after his friends and acquaintance of 
Baltimore, after our own welfare, the path we 
had come, and the difficulties we had encoun- 
tered on our journey through the wilderness. 
Having answered his questions, he replied in 
turn to our inquiries as follows : That since he 
saw us it had pleased the Great Spirit to take 
away two of his brothers and a nephew. That 
his nephew was the Toad, a young chief who 
was with him in Baltimore. That he died on 
his return from that visit, and within a few miles 
of home, of which circumstance he had desired 
William Wells to inform us. That with respect 
to himself, he was but half well, having been 
very sick last fall and expected to die. That 
his white brothers at Fort Wayne, hearing of 
his illness, sent a doctor to him who gave him 
physic and made him better. That he had now 
seen fifty- three winters, and two of his brothers 
being dead, made him think of death, and that 
his time would soon come. 

He also told us that he had left a brother at 
his town who would have accompanied him, 
being very desirous to come with him, but could 
not find his j horse in time. After this, other 
conversation took place of a general nature. The 
interpreter informs us that his complaint is the 



54 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



gout, and that in the time of his illness he (the 
interpreter) had told him that his complaint be- 
longed to great folks and gentlemen. " Well/ 7 
said the Turtle, "I always thought I was a 
gentleman."* 

About 2 o'clock we dined. At the head of the 
table sat the interpreter's wife, who is a modest, 
well-looking Indian woman, and the daughter 
of a distinguished chief. She had prepared for 
us a large well roasted wild turkey, and also a 
wild turkey boiled, and for these she had pro- 
vided a large supply of cranberry sauce. The 
Little Turtle sat at table with us, and with 
much sociability we all partook of an excellent 
dinner. 

In the afternoon the Five Medals, attended by 
his sons, visited us at William Wells' house, 
and the opportunity being a suitable one, we 
proposed to them that a formal conference should 
then take place between us. This proposition 
meeting their assent, we opened the conference 
by desiring the interpreter to inform them that 
we had received their talk sent to us last fall, 



* By the suffrage of all who became acquainted with 
the Little Turtle during his visits to Baltimore in 
1801, and also in 1807, he was acknowledged to be 
a gentleman in character, appearance, and manners. 
His estimate of himself therefore was not too high. 
For his speech before the Indian Committee in Balti- 
more in 1801, and other information concerning him, 
see appendix. T. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



55 



informing us that the implements of husbandry, 
which we had sent to them last year, had come 
to them safely, and that we had carefully ob- 
served all that was contained in that talk. That 
we were deputed by their brothers and friends of 
Baltimore to come to see them. That we had 
accordingly come, and had with us a letter di- 
rected to them, which we thought ought in the 
first place to be read, and after that we might 
have something to say to them. A short pause 
having taken place, they expressed a desire that 
the letter should be read, which was accordingly 
done, and interpreted to them as follows : 

"From the Committee appointed for Indian 
Affairs by the Friends of Maryland to the Little 
Turtle and the Five Medals, Chiefs of the Potto- 
wattamy and Miami nations of Indians : 

" Brothers and Friends. — We have received 
your talk, communicated by our friend William 
Wells, after the reception of the implements of 
husbandry sent last spring for your use. In 
that speech, as well as when you were in Balti- 
more, you have told us that you thought it best 
for some of us to go out to see you, that we 
might be better capable of judging what could 
be done further for the benefit of our red breth- 
ren. 

" Brothers and Friends, — In compliance with 
your request we have named our beloved friends 
George Ellicott, Gerard T. Hopkins, Joel Wright, 
and Elisha Tyson, to go and visit you and to take 



5a 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



you by the hand on our behalf. And we desire 
that you will receive them, or any of them that 
may be enabled to perform the journey as your 
brothers, in whom we have confidence, and that 
you will receive any communications from them 
as being from us, who are desirous of assisting 
you in what may add to your comfort, and that 
of your women and children. 
Your friends and brothers, 

William Stabler, Evan Thomas, 
Isaac Tyson, Elisha Tyson, 

Benjamin Ellicott, Jonathan Wright, 
John Ellicott, Elias Ellicott, 

Edward Stabler, Jonathan Ellicott, 
Philip E. Thomas, Thomas More, 
Andrew Ellicott, Jr., Samuel Snowden. 
Baltimore, 2d mo. 4th, 1804." 
At the contents of this letter they expressed 
their satisfaction, and after a pause of several 
minutes we addressed them through an interpre- 
ter as follows : 

a Brothers and Friends.— You observe that 
the letter which has just been read, makes men- 
tion of four of us appointed to visit you. One 
of these was an infirm man who thought he 
could not endure the fatigue of so long a jour- 
ney, and therefore did not come. The other 
did not omit to come for the want of love to his 
red brethren ; family circumstances rendered it 
inconvenient for him to leave home. You see, 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



57 



brothers, that it has pleased the Great Spirit 
that two of us mentioned in the letter, should 
reach the country of our red brethren. Brothers, 
we thought it right in the first place to send for 
you, and to show you the letter which has just 
been read. We are glad that you are now come, 
and that we have this opportunity of taking you 
by the hand. 

" Brothers, we believe that we have some things / 
to say to you which are of great importance to 
our red brothers, to their old men, to their young 
men, to their women, and to their children. 

" Brothers, may now mention that we have 
not come merely to talk, but we hope we have 
come prepared to do a little for the welfare of 
our red brethren. 

" Brothers, in looking over our business, we 
have thought that we should be glad to have an 
opportunity of seeing our red brethren together, 
and are willing to propose for your consideration, 
that you should now fix upon some place, and 
agree upon some time to meet us again, and that 
our brothers invite their old men, their young 
men, their women and their children to meet us, 
when we shall have something to say which it 
may not be necessary now to say. 

u Brothers and Friends, — Should you think 
that the proposal which we have now made is 
proper, and conclude to meet us in the manner 
we have pointed out, we expect we shall have 
but little more to say at present." Here a pause 



58 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



for some minutes took place, when the Little 
Turtle inquired, "If the Friends had more to 
say/' He was answered in the negative. 

'After a further pause and some conversation 
between the two chiefs, they rose from their 
seats, and perceiving that they were advancing 
toward us, we also arose from our seats. On meet- 
ins: them, they took us by the hand, and with 
countenances indicative of great gravity, shook 
hands with us and returned to their seats. 

The Five Medals then commenced a speech 
as follows : — 

« Brothers and Friends : My friend, the Lit- 
tle Turtle, and myself, together with my two 
sons, who are present, rejoice to have this oppor- 
tunity of seeing you/ and of taking you by the 
hand. . 

" My Brothers : We are glad to be informed, 
that you received our talk sent to you last fall, 
and to find that you are now come to the country 
of your red brethren. 

« My Brothers and Friends : We rejoice that 
the Great Spirit has conducted you safely to our 
country, and figure to ourselves that in you we 
see the rest of our brothers and friends of Balti- 
more, and that in taking you by the hand, we 
take them by the hand. 

" Brothers : We know that you have come a 
loner distance to see the situation of your red 
brethren. We have no doubt that you have 
things to say which are of great importance to 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



59 



us, and which do not belong to a few only but 
to many. 

"Brothers: Your brethren the Indians do 
business not as the white people do. We con- 
vene our chiefs, and things of importance are 
considered by them. But, brothers, you have 
come to see the situation of your red brethren. 
It is our wish that you should see it. You shall 
not be disappointed. The proposal you have 
made to us we think right, and have concluded 
that this place (Fort Wayne,) is the best place 
to be fixed upon for the purpose you wish. We 
are pleased to find that you have a desire that 
our young men should be present to hear what 
you have to say, and as it is your wish to see our 
women and children, we desire that you may 
have an opportunity of seeing them. 

" Brothers and Friends : Our young men are 
out hunting, and our women and children are 
now at work at their sugar camps. The time is 
not far off when they will all return to our 
towns, when it is usual to meet together. We 
hope, brothers, that you will not be in a hurry, 
but will allow us time to collect our people to- 
gether." 

Here a pause took place, when we inquired if 
they had any thing further to add. And being 
answered in the negative, we addressed them 
again in substance as follows : 

" Brothers and Friends : When we left oar 



60 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



homes, we knew it was early in the season, and 
expected that we should get to the country of 
our red brethren at a time when their young 
men, their women and children would be busy. 
But brothers, a part of the service* which we de- 
sign t > render to you, required that we should 
come early, and makes it also necessary that we 
shuuld now be in a hurry. 

u Brothers : We will also add that when we 
were chosen by our friends at home to pay a 
visit to our red brethren, our women and chil- 
dren consented that we should leave them, but 
charged us that we should not stay away from 
them longer than circumstances really required. 
A long time has already past since we left them, 
we therefore hope, brothers, that in three or four 
days it will be in your power to get together 
some of your people. Those that are far from 
home we do not "wish that you should send for/' 

The Little Turtle then observed that the rea- 
sons we had given were good. The Five Medals 
next remarked that at the time proposed, they 
could easily convene a considerable number of 
their indolent people, who were too lazy to hunt 
or make sugar, but such they did not wish us to 
see. Their industrious young men and women 



*The Friends were desirous that their agricul- 
turist, Philip Dennis, should arrive amongst the 
Indians in time to plant corn. T. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



61 



J were too far from home to be convened in so 
I short a time. 

Here a short conversation took place between 
J the chiefs, and afterwards they proposed seven 
j day's hence as the time; desiring that to-morrow 
|j might not be counted, as it would take them a 
|| day to return home. To this we consented. 

The Five Medals then expressed as follows : 
" Brothers, it would have been very desirable 
to us if you could have met us at the time of our 
counsel. We have very often told our people 
of the Quakers. They listen to us, but are at a 
loss to know what sort of people the Quakers 
are. If you could stay, brothers, they would 
! have an opportunity of seeing the Quakers, and 
of hearing words from your own mouths." 
After this the Little Turtle added : 
" Brothers: We hope the words that you 
may say to us at the time we have appointed to 
meet will be upon paper. From that paper we 
can at some future time have your words de- 
livered to our people. This, brothers, will in some 
measure answer the end." 

During a pause which occupied several 
I minutes we asked them if we understood each 
other. The Turtle replied, " Yes, perfectly ; we 
have nothing further to do now than to look for- 
ward to the day appointed." 

After this we took each other by the hand 
and very cordially bade farewell. We then re- 
turned to our lodgings. 

6 



62 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



In the evening we again had the company of 
the chiefs, they having been invited by our 
landlord to take supper with us. 

3d. This day rainy, and spent chiefly at 
William Wells'. 

Besides the garrison stationed here, there is a 
large store of goods established by the United 
States, for the purpose of supplying the Indians. 
The store is kept by our landlord. Several 
Canadian traders also reside here, who exchange 
goods with the Indians ; some of them have re- 
sided here for more than thirty years. The In- 
dians are daily arriving with their peltry, some 
of them exchange them for goods, others re- 
quire money. The women bring sugar, which 
is generally neatly packed in a square box made 
of bark, containing about fifty pounds. It is 
made from the su<zar tree. This art has long 
been known to the Indians. They make and 
use large quantities of sugar. We have seen 
very white and clear looking sugar of their manu- 
facture. ■ _ , 

4th. Rode about two miles up the fet. Mary s 
river and viewed the remains of old Indian 
houses, also the fields on which they cultivated 
corn, where the corn hills are still discernible. 
We also observed large numbers of Indian graves. 
These are now discernible only by the sunken 
cavities in the surface of the earth. In the 
course of our route we have seen many Indian 
graves of more recent date. They bury their 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



6£ 



dead about three feet below the surface of the 
earth • and over the grave they either place a 
heap of stones or a pen of logs. If the de- 
ceased has been a person of distinction, they 
plant posts at the head and foot which they orna- 
ment very curiously. 

In a review of the many circumstantial evi- 
dences which have fallen under our observation 
of the former population of this western world, 
I am ready to adopt the expressions of a pious 
author : 

" Where is the dust that hath not been alive ! 
The spade, the plough, disturb our ancestors ; 
From human mould we reap our daily bread." 

Young's Night Thoughts. 

4th month 5th. Spent the day with Captain 
Wells. We walked with him up the St. Joseph's 
river, and were shown the ground upon which 
the Indians under the command of the Little 
Turtle defeated a part of the United States army 
under General Harmar, killing 300 out of 500 
men. We also followed for a considerable dis- 
tance the route which the soldiers took in their 
retreat, and saw many of their bones. Amongst 
these were skulls which had marks of the 
tomahawk and scalping knife. Many of them 
had fallen on the east bank of the river, and 
also within the river. The Indians being sta- 
tioned behind trees on the west side shot them 
in their attempt to get across. 

We were shown the tree behind which the 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



Little Turtle took his station, as also a tree near 
it behind which his nephew fell. This was a 
second defeat, the United States troops having 
been routed the day before on Eel river. 

6th. Spent the day in the neighborhood of 
Fort Wayne, in the course of which we visited 
Captain Whipple. This afternoon several In- 
dians from different tribes arrived, bringing 
with them skins and furs. These are mostly 
brought by the women upon their backs, the 
men "thinking it sufficient to carry their guns 
and hunting equipments. 

We saw this evening a white woman, who, 
when a small girl, had been taken captive, and 
has ever since lived amongst the Pottowatamy 
tribe of Indians. She tells us (through an in- 
terpreter) that she has no knowledge of the 
part of the country from which she was taken, 
nor of her family. That she remembers her name 
was Dolly, which is the only distinct recollec- 
tion she retains of herself previous to her cap- 
tivity. This woman is dressed in Indian habit, 
is painted after the Indian order, and has so 
effectually adopted Indian manners, that a nice 
observer would not discover from external ob- 
servation her origin, except from the color of 
her eyes, which are grey. 

7th. Visited William Wells, and rode with 
him up the St. Mary's about five miles. On 
our way we passed several sugar camps, at which 
were Indian women and children who were em- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 65 

ployed in making sugar. Their huts were large, 
and covered with the bark of the Buck Eye 
wood. Their troughs for catching the sugar 
water as it is called, are made of the bark of ti e 
red elm, they are made thin, and the ends tied 
together. We were shown the places where 
stood the houses of several distinguished char- 
acters amongst the Indians, Captain Wells also 
took us to the ground, where the Little Turtle 
reviewed his men, and gave them their orders 
before going against the army of General St. 
Clair. It is an extensive plain near the river. 
Wells was then one of the number, and says the 
Little Turtle had one thousand four hundred 
men ; St. Clair's army consisted of a much larger 
number, and were about fifty miles distant at 
the time. ' The Little Turtle divided his men 
into bands or messes, to each me?s twenty men. 
It was the business of four of this number alter- 
nately to hunt for provisions. At 12 o'clock 
each day it was the duty of the hunters to re- 
turn to the army with what they had killed. By 
this regulation, his warriors were well supplied 
with provisions, during the seven day's in which 
they were advancing from this place to the field 
of battle. It is well known that at day break 
the Indians commenced an unexpected attack 
upon St. Clair's forces, killed nine hundred of 
his men, and put his whole army to flight. 
Wells says, that only about thirty Indians were 
killed in the battle, and that about twenty died 
6* 



66 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



afterwards of their wounds. He also related 
the following anecdote: 

A considerable altercation arose amongst the 
Indians on the review ground, relative to a 
Commander-in-Chief. Some were in favor of 
Buckangehelas, a principal chief amongst the 
Delawares, whilst others were in favor of the 
Little Turtle. At length Buckangehelas himself 
decided the controversy by yielding to the Little 
Turtle, saying that he was the youngest and most 
active man, and that he preferred him to him- 
self. This reconciled the parties, and the Little 
Turtle took the command. 

We also rode to view a prairie which extends 
from the St. Mary's river to the Little river, a 
branch of the Wabash. The distance from one 
to the other is not more than four miles, and 
the highest ground is not more than five feet 
above the water in either river. The Indians 
say that in high freshets they have passed from 
one water to the other in their canoes. A canal 
might easily be cut here, and at a small expense, 
by which the waters of the lakes and the waters 
of the Ohio, (and of course the Mississippi) 
would be connected. An abundance of furs 
and skins taken on the waters of the Ohio and 
the Wabash, are brought up the latter river in 
boats by the Canadians and the Indians, and 
thence taken across a portage of eight miles to 
the Miami of tLe Lakes,* whence they are 



* The Mauniee river. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



67 



again conveyed by water to Detroit ; goods suit- 
able for the Indian trade are also transported 
back again by the same route. 

After spending some time in viewing the re- 
mains of several old Indian towns, graves, hiero- 
glyphics, &c. &c. &c, we returned to William 
Wells' house, where we dined, and in the even- 
ing returned to our lodgings. 

8th. Paid a visit to the carpenter and black- 
smith who accompanied us as before mentioned. 
They are both at work. The blacksmith is re- 
pairing Indian guns, and the carpenter is at 
work upon a council house which the govern- 
ment has ordered to be built for the Indians at 
their request. The house is to be built of hewn 
logs, fifty feet in length, and twenty-five in width. 
We also amused ourselves in attending to the 
manner of packing furs and skins. Our friend 
Jonathan has several Canadians now employed 
in that business. They are packed by a ma- 
chine constructed for the purpose, by which the 
work is performed expeditiously. The packs 
are made in squares of about two and a half feet, 
and contain from thirty-five to forty deer skins, 
or about two hundred raccoon skins. 

9th. On the evening of this day, we received 
a message from the Little Turtle, informing us 
that the Indians had arrived, and that they 
would be ready meet us at 10 o'clock the next 
morning. 

4th mo. 10th. At 10 o'clock this morning we 



68 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



proceeded to William Wells', who, as we before 
observed, is interpreter for the Indians. We 
were accompanied by our friend John Johnson, 
Captain Whipple, Lieutenants Campbell and 
Simms, and several other reputable persons, and 
were met by the following chiefs : 

O-bas-se-a, ( or the Fawn,) a village chief of 
great distinction in the Miami nation. 

Os-so-mit, a village chief of the Pottowattamy 
nation, and brother to the Five Medals. 

Me-she-ke-na-que, or the Little Turtle, a war 
chief of the Miami nation. 

They were attended by a considerable num- 
ber of their principal young men, and by several 
women. 

The Five Medals was not present. He had 
informed us on taking leave, that circumstances 
required him to return to his town, and that the 
distance would be too great for him to return in 
time to meet us, his infirmities occasioning him 
to travel slowly, but that he would send his 
brother, who would report to him faithfully all 
the proceedings of the council. 

After we had taken each other by the hand, 
the chiefs took their seats by the side of each 
other. Their principal people next seated them- 
selves according to the rank or distinction which 
they held. After them, their young men m 
circular order, seat after seat— and lastly, the 
women,— who occupied seats separate from the 
men, being placed near the centre of the room. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 69 



We took our seats on the opposite side of the 
house and in front of the Indians. 

Being all thus seated — I speak literally, when 
I say my heart palpitated — I felt the importance 
and dignity of our mission ; I wished our heads 
were wiser, and feared for the result of so in- 
teresting an opportunity. 

After a few minutes had passed, the Little 
Turtle observed, that when we met before, they 
had informed us of the difficulty there was in 
convening the Indians at so early a period in 
the season, and that those of their people then 
present with him were all who were likely to 
attend to listen to what we had to say. 

We then proposed that the letter from our 
friends and brothers at home, read to the Five 
Medals and the Little Turtle at the time of our 
first meeting, should be again read for the in- 
formation of our Indian brethren now attend- 
ing. 

This proposal was deemed proper, and the 
letter was accordingly read. 

After a short pause, we addressed them as 
follows : 

" Brothers and Friends : We know that the 
most of our Red Brethren are, at present, at 
their hunting and sugar camps, and did not ex- 
pect to see a large number at so short a notice. 
We have, therefore, agreeably to your request, 
put upon paper the things we have to say, and 
hope you will not fail to have them communi- 



70 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



Gated, when, at some future time, you may be 
more generally assembled/ 7 

One of us, then standing up, read to them the 
following address ; The interpreter, also standing 
between us and the Indians, interpreted our com- 
munication : "The Address of George Eljicott 
and Gerard T. Hopkins, delivered to the Little 
Turtle and the Five Medals, Chiefs of the 
Miami and Pottowattamy nations of Indians, and 
others." 

" Brothers and Friends : When we were to- 
gether, eight days ago, with the Little Turtle 
and the Five Medals, the letter was read to 
them, which has just been read. That letter, 
you observe, says that we were appointed by 
the people called Quakers, of Baltimore, to visit 
you, and to take you by the hand on their be- 
half, desiring that you would receive any com- 
munications from us, as coming immediately 
from them. 

" Brothers : After that letter was read, our 
hearts were filled with so much love for our Red 
Brethren, that, on looking over and considering 
the business upon which we had come, we felt 
a desire to see as many together as could be 
convened—and this day was that agreed upon 
for us to meet you. 

" Brothers : We believed that the things we 
had to say were of great importance to our Red 
Brethren, and therefore it was that we request- 
ed to see you together, that you all might have 
an opportunity of hearing what we have to say. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



71 



" Brothers : Our hearts are filled with thank- 
fulness to the Great Spirit, that He has 
brought us safely to the country of our Red 
Brethren, and protected us through the journey. 
We also rejoice that He has given us this oppor- 
tunity of seeing you, and of taking you by the 
hand. 

" Brothers : It is now a little more than two 
years since your Brothers of Baltimore had an 
opportunity of becoming acquainted with the 
Five Medals, the Little Turtle, Tuthinipee, and 
some other chiefs. They were glad of that op- 
portunity of having a talk with them, and of 
enquiring after the situation of their lied 
Brethren. 

" Brothers : We had for some time entertain- 
ed apprehensions, that the many changes which 
were taking place in circumstances, must greatly 
change the situation of our Red Brethren, and 
that the time was fast approaching, in which it 
would be necessary for them to alter their mode 
of living. 

"Brothers : After our talk with the chiefs 
whom we have just mentioned, we were fully con- 
vinced that the time was come, in which our Red 
Brethren ought to begin to cultivate their lands; 
that they ought to raise corn and other grain, 
also horses, cows, sheep, hogs, and other animals. 
We then proposed to afford them some assist- 
ance. They appeared to be glad of the proposal, 



72 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



and informed that many of their people were 
disposed to turn their attention to the cultiva- 
tion of the earth. They also expressed a desire 
to be assisted by their brothers of Baltimore. 

''Brothers: Having been encouraged by the 
opportunity which we then had, we sent to the 
care of the Agent for Indian Affairs some ploughs, 
harness for horses, axes, hoes, and other imple- 
ments of husbandry, which were made for the 
use of our Bed Brethren, and desired that they 
mitfht be distributed amongst them as tokens of 
our friendship. 

" Brothers: We received last fall, through 
the hands of the Agent for Indian Affairs, a 
talk from the Little Turtle, the Five Medals, 
and others, informing us that they had received 
the implements of husbandry, and requested 
that their Brothers of Baltimore would send 
some of their people into the country of their 
Bed Brethren for the purpose of seeing their 
situation, and showing them how to make use of 
the tools, saying they did not know how to 
begin. 

" Brothers : It is for these purposes that we 
have now come ; and we again repeat, that we 
rejoice we have the opportunity of seeing you, 
and of taking you by the hand. 

" Brothers : In coming into the country of our 
Red Brethren, we have come with our eyes open. 
And although we are affected with sorrow, in 
believing that many of the Red Brethren suffer 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



78 



much for the want of food and for the want of 
clothing, yet our hearts have been made glad, in 
seeing that it has pleased the Great Spirit to 
give you a rich and valuable country. Because 
we know that it is out of the earth that food 
and clothing come. We are sure, brothers, that 
with but little labor and attention, you may raise 
much more corn and other grain than will be 
necessary for yourselves, your women and chil- 
dren, and may also, with great ease, raise many 
more horses, cows, sheep, hogs and other valuable 
animals, than will be necessary for your own use 
We are also confident, that if you will pursue 
our method in the cultivation of your land, you 
will live in much greater ease and plenty, and 
with much less fatigue and toil, than attend 
hunting, for a subsistence. 

u Brothers: We are fully convinced, that if 
you will adopt our mode of cultivating the earth, 
and of raising useful animals, you will find it to 
be a mode of living, not only far more plentiful 
and much less fatiguing, but also much more 
certain, and which will expose your bodies less 
to the inclemencies of the weather than is now 
attendant upon hunting. It will lead you, 
brothers, to have fixed homes. You will build 
comfortable dwelling-houses for yourselves, your 
women and children, where you may be shelter- 
ed from the rain, from the frost, and from the 
snow, and where you may enjoy in plenty the 
rewards of your labors. 

7 



74 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



" Brothers: In laying these things before 
you, we have no other motive than a desire of 
heart for the improvement, the benefit and the 
welfare of our Red Brethren— and therefore it 
is that we speak with freedom, and we hope, 
that what we have to say, will go in at one ear, 
and not come out at the other, but that it will be 
remembered by our Red Brethren. For we 
know, brothers, that we shall not be ashamed of 
what we say, when, in time to come, you com- 
pare the things we are saying to you with your 
experience in practising them. 

" Brothers : We will here mention, that the 
time was, when the forefathers of your brothers, 
the white people, lived beyond the great water, 
in the same manner that our Red Brethren now 
live. The winters can yet be counted when 
they went almost naked, when they procured their 
living by fishing, and by the bow and arrow in 
hunting— and when they lived in houses no bet- 
ter than yours. They were encouraged by some 
who came from the sun-rising, and lived amongst 
them, to change their mode of living. They 
did change — they cultivated the earth, and we 
are sure the change was a happy one. 

« Brothers and Friends : We are not ashamed 
to acknowledge that the time was when our fore- 
fathers rejoiced at finding a wild plumb tree, or 
at killing a little game, and that they wandered 
up and down, living on the uncertain supplies 
of fishing and hunting. But, brothers, for your 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



75 



encouragement, we now mention that, by turn- 
ing their attention to the cultivation of the 
earth, instead of the plumb tree, they soon had 
orchards of many kinds of good fruits— instead 
of wild game, they soon had large numbers of 
cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, and other valuable 
animals,—- and in many places, instead of their 
forests, they had large fields of corn and other 
grain, as also many other valuable productions 
of the earth. 

" Brothers : We hope your eyes will be open 
to see clearly, the things which are best for you, 
and that you will desire to pursue them. We 
believe, brothers, that it is in the heart of your 
father, the President of the United States, to 
assist his red children in the cultivation of the 
earth, and to render them services which will be 
greatly for their benefit and welfare. We hope 
that your exertions to change your present mode 
of living will be so plain to him, that he will 
see them. This will encourage him to continue 
to aid you, in your endeavors. 

" Brothers, we have spoken plainly ; we de- 
sire to speak plainly. We will now tell you 
that we have not come merely to talk to you. 
We have come prepared to render you a little 
assistance. Our beloved brother, Philip Dennis, 
who is now present, has come along with us. 
His desire is to cultivate for you a field of corn ; 
also, to show you how to raise some of the other 
productions of the earth. He knows how to use 



76 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



the plough, the hoe, the axe, and other imple- 
ments of husbandry. 

" Brothers, we here ask you, are you still de- 
sirous to be instructed by us, in the cultivation 
of your lands ? If you say you are, our brother, 
whom we have just mentioned, will continue 
with you during the summer. We shall leave 
it to you to show him the spot where to begin 
to work. 

" Brothers, he has left a farm, he has left a 
wife, and five small children, who are very dear 
to him ; he has come from a sincere desire to be 
useful to our red brothers. His motives are 
pure, he will ask no reward from you, for his 
services, his greatest reward will be in the satis- 
faction he will feel in finding you inclined to 
take hold of the same tools which he takes hold 
of, to receive from him instruction in the culti- 
vation of your lands, and to pursue the example 
he will set you. 

" Brothers, we hope you will make the situa- 
tion of our brother as comfortable as circum- 
stances will admit. We hope, also, that many 
of your young men will be willing to be taught 
by him, to use the plough, the hoe, and other 
implements of husbandry. For we are sure, 
brothers, that as you take hold of such tools as 
are in the hands of the white people, you will 
find them to be to you like having additional 
hands. You will also find that by using them, 



THE WESTERN INDIANS- 



77 



they will enable you to do many things which, 
without them, cannot be performed. 

" Brothers, there is one thing more which we 
wish to add. The white people, in order to get 
their land cultivated, find it necessary that their 
young men should be employed in it, and not 
their women. Women are less than men. They 
are not as strong as men. They are not as able 
to endure fatigue as men. It is the business of 
our women to be employed in our houses, to 
keep them clean, to sew, to knit, spin, and 
weave, to dress food for themselves and families, 
to make clothes for the men and the rest of their 
families, to keep the clothes of their families 
clean, and to take care of their children. 

" Brothers, we desire not to mention too many 
things to you, but we must add a little further. 
We are fully convinced that if you will turn your 
attention to the cultivation of the earth, to rais- 
ing the different kinds of grain, to erecting mills 
for grinding grain, to building comfortable dwell- 
ing-houses for your families, to ^raising useful 
animals — amongst others, sheep, for the advan- 
tage of the wool, in making clothing — to raising 
flax and hemp for your linen ; and your young 
women learn to spin and weave, that your lives 
would be easier and happier than at present, 
and that your numbers will increase, and not 
continue to diminish. As we before observed, 
brothers, your land is good. It is far better 
than the land the white people near the great 
7* 



78 



JOURNAL OF A YISIT TO 



water cultivate. We are persuaded that your 
land will produce double the quantity of any 
kind of grain, or of flax, or of hemp, with the 
same labor necessary near the great water. 

" Brothers and Friends : We shall now end 
what we have to say, with informing you that 
all the corn, and other productions of the earth, 
which Philip Dennis may raise, we wish our 
red brethren to accept of, as a token of our 
friendship. And it is our desire that the chiefs 
of the Pottowatamy and Miami nations, who 
are now present, added to our brothers, the Five 
Medals, Tuthenipee, and Philip Dennis, make 
such a distribution thereof as they may think 
proper."* 

The Indians observed great gravity and de- 
corum, during the time of our addressing them, 
and seemed to reiterate the sentiments delivered 
by repeated shouts. 

At the close of our communication, a short 
pause took place, during which we informed 
them that we had no more to add at present, 
but wished them to speak freely. After which 
a conversation, occupying several minutes took 
place between the chiefs, and some of their 



* The address was published in pamphlet form in 
Baltimore, by the Indian Committee in 1804. and also 
appeared in the newspapers of the period, and was 
much commended for its earnest and enlightened 
simplicity. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS, 



79 



principal men ? which being in the Indian lan- 
guage was to us unintelligible. They then rose 
upon their feet, and shook hands with us with 
great solemnity, and then returned to their 
seats. 

In a few moments the Little Turtle arose and 
delivered the following speech, which one of us* 
wrote in short hand, from the mouth of the In- 
terpreter. 

u Brothers, it appears to me to be necessary 
that I should give you an immediate answer, as 
you are about to return to your families from 
whence you came. 

u My Brothers and Friends, we are all pleased 
to see you here, and to take our brothers, the 
Quakers, through you by the hand. We re- 
joice that the Great Spirit has appointed that 
we should this day meet. For we believe, that 
this meeting will be of the utmost consequence 
to your red brethren. 

" Brothers, what you have said, we have care- 
fully gathered up, we have placed it in our hearts, 
in order that it may be communicated to our 
posterity. We are convinced that what you 
have said is for the good of your red brethren, 
We are also convinced that our chiefs and war- 
riors, our women and children will be all of our 



* Gerard Hopkins, who was a fine short hand 
writer. T. 



80 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



opinion, and will be glad when they have heard 
what you have said. 

u Brothers, we take you now by the hand, and 
through you we take the people who sent you 
here by the hand, and assure you we are pleased 
that the Great Spirit has let us see each other, 
and converse together upon the subjects which 
you have communicated to us. 

" Brothers, you see there is not a large num- 
ber of us here. What you have said to us will 
not remain with those who are here alone. It 
will be communicated to all your red brethren 
in this country. And I again repeat, that I am 
convinced they will be glad to hear what you 
have said to us, to our women and children. 

" Brothers, when we saw you with the rest of 
our brothers in Baltimore, upwards of two years 
ago, I expect you recollect perfectly the conver- 
sation between us at that time and piace. I, 
there with my brother chiefs, told you that we 
were glad to find you so much disposed to assist 
us, our women and children. We told you that 
your good wishes should be made known to all 
your red brethren in this country, which has 
been done* 

" Brothers, ever since that time, I, as well as 
some others of my brother chiefs, have been en- 
deavoring to turn the minds of our people to- 
wards the cultivation of the earth, but I am 
sorry to say we have not yet been able to effect 
any thing. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



81 



" Brothers, there are so few of our chiefs now 
present, it would not be proper for us to under- 
take to give a pointed answer to your talk. We 
expect that in a few moons there will be many 
of our people together. At that time it will be 
proper that we should return an answer to all 
the subjects you now mention to us. 

" Brothers, the things you have said to us re- 
quire the greatest attention. It appears to me 
to be really necessary to deliberate upon them, 
In order to do so, we must beg to leave the paper 
upon which they are written, that we may com- 
municate them to our chiefs when they assemble. 

" Brothers, all the words which you have said 
to-day were certainly calculated for our good. 
You have enumerated to us the different kinds 
of grain and animals we ought to raise for our 
comfort. You have told us that if we all adopt 
the plan you have proposed, we should want for 
nothing. This, brothers, myself and many of our 
people believe is true, and we hope we shall 
finally be able to convince our young men that 
this is the plan we ought to adopt to get our 
living. 

" Brothers, you have come a long distance to 
render service to us. We hope that you will 
meet with the success you wish, you have been 
very particular in pointing out to us what will 
be for our good. You have also been very par- 
ticular in pointing out to us the duties of our 
women, and you have told us that in adopting 



82 



JOURNAL OF A YISIT TO 



your mode of living, our numbers would increase 
and not diminish. In all this I perfectly agree 
with you. And I hope the other chiefs will 
also agree with you. 

" Brothers, we are pleased to hear you say 
you are going to leave one of your brothers with 
us ; to show us in what manner you cultivate the 
earth. We shall endeavor, brothers, to make 
his situation amongst us as agreeable to him as 
will be possible for us. 

« Brothers, we are convinced that the plan 
you propose will be highly advantageous to your 
red brethren, We are also convinced that you 
have observed very justly that we shall not then 
be liable to sickness. We are certain that we 
shall then be able to make a more comfortable 
living with less labor than at present. And I 
hope that this will be the opinion of us all. 

" Brothers, I again repeat that I am extreme- 
ly glad to hear the words you have said, and we 
will keep them in our hearts for the good of our 
young men, our women, and our children. I 
have now delivered to you the sentiments of our 
people who are present. $; 

After a short pause he then added : 

" Brothers, assure your people who sent you 
here, tell your old chiefs that we are obliged to 
them for their friendly offers to assist us in 
changing our present mode of living ; tell them 
that it is a work which cannot be done immediate- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS* 



8S 



hj— that we are that way disposed, and we hope 
it will take place gradually/' 

Here the speaker sat down for a short time ? 
and then rose again, saying, 

u Brothers, my heart is so overjoyed and 
warmed with what you have said, that I find I 
had forgot to mention one of the most important 
things. 

" Brothers, at the time we first met at this 
place, the Five Medals and myself formed some 
idea of your business. We expected you had 
come to do for us the things you had proposed 
to us when in Baltimore, We consulted each 
other upon the answer necessary to return to 
you in every respect, and I now find that our 
idea was right. 

" Brothers, the sentiments which I have de« 
livered to you were his sentiments. You have 
now told us, that your brother has a mind to 
live amongst us to show us how to cultivate the 
earth, and have desired us to show him the spot 
where to begin. We agreed then, that he should 
be at neither of our villages, lest our younger 
brothers should be jealous of our taking him to 
ourselves. We have determined to place him 
on the Wabash, where some of oiir families will 
follow him, — where our young men I hope will 
flock to him, and where he will be able to in- 
struct them as he wishes. This is all I have to 
say. I could all day repeat the sentiments I 
have already expressed ; also how much I have 



84 



JOURNAL OE A VISIT TO 



been gratified in seeing and hearing my brothers ; 
but that is not necessary. I am sorry, brothers, 
that the chiefs of our country are not all present, 
that they might all hear what you have said, and 
have an opportunity of talking to you." 

At the close of this speech we were informed 
that nothing would be added by the Indians to 
the communication made by the Little Turtle. 
We then told them that the words spoken by 
the Little Turtle should be carefully carried 
home to our brothers and friends who had sent 
us. We also informed them that notwithstanding 
we were now desirous to return to our homes as 
soon as possible, yet we wished to see the place 
which they designed to be the station of our 
brother, Philip Dennis, and hoped some of them 
would show it to us. We further added, that 
this did not arise from any jealousy in our 
minds that the place fixed upon was not suitable. 
On the contrary, we had no doubt that they had 
judged wisely ; but that the love and respect 
which we bore to our brother, led us to desire to 
bear him company to the place, and also to ren- 
der him every assistance in our power before we 
left him. 

They then informed us that they would con- 
sult and fix upon some one to go with us. The 
business of the council being then at an end, we 
in turn rose from our seats, and shook hands 
with them, which concluded the formalities of 
the opportunity. After entering into a little 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



85 



conversation, we told them we should now bid 
them farewell, as we expected we should not see 
them again. They then took us separately by 
the hand, -and with marks of great affection and 
friendship bade us farewell, and we returned to 
our quarters. 

4th month 12th. Being a fine pleasant morn- 
ing we set out for the place on the Wabash as- 
signed by the Indians to Philip Dennis. We 
were accompanied by William W 7 ells and 31 as- 
sail on ga, (or Clear Sky,) a handsome young man 
of the Wea tribe, deputed by the Indians to 
pilot us, who (by the bye) says he shall be the 
first young man to take hold of Philip Dennis' 
plough. 

After riding eight miles, we came to the place 
called the Portage, on Little river, a navigable 
water of the Wabash. Then down the margin 
of the river, leaving it to our left. At the end 
of four miles, crossed Sandy Creek, another navi- 
gable water of the Wabash; then proceeded 
through the woods, and at the end of thirteen 
miles further again came to Little river, at a 
place called the Saddle. This name is derived 
from a large rock in the bed of the river in the 
shape of a saddle. From the Saddle we pro- 
ceeded six miles along the margin of the river 
to its junction with the Wabash. 

The bed of the Wabash here is of limestone. 
After riding five miles further, we came to a 
8 



86 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



vein of land about one mile in width, the sur- 
face of which is covered with small flint stones, 
and which we are told extends for several miles, 
On examining these flints, we found them of 
excellent quality. 

Here the Indians supply themselves with flints 
for their guns and for other purposes, and here 
formerly they procured their darts. It has cer- 
tainly been a place abundantly resorted to from 
time immemorial. This is evident from the sur- 
face of the ground being dug in holes of two and 
three feet in depth, over nearly the whole tract. 
This flinty vein is called by the Indians Father 
Flint. They have a tradition concerning its 
origin which is very incredible. From this we 
proceeded, and after riding two miles, reached 
the place proposed by the Indians. 

This place is thirty-two miles rather south of 
west from Fort Wayne, and is situated on the 
Wabash, at a place called the Boat-yard, which 
name it obtained from the circumstance of 
General Wilkinson having built some flat, 
bottomed boats here, for the purpose of tran- 
sporting some of the baggage of the American 
troops down the river. It was formerly the seat 
of an Indian town of the Delawares, and we are 
pleased to And there are about twenty-five acres 
of land clear. The Wabash here makes a beau- 
tiful appearance, and is about sixty yards wide. 
A little above is an island in the river, on one 
side of which the water runs with a strong cur- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS, 



87 



rent, and affords a good mill seat. We viewed 
the land in this neighborhood for a considerable 
distance, and found it high and of superior 
quality, being covered with sugar trees of enor- 
mous size, black walnut, white walnut, hack- 
berry, blue ash, oak, buckeye trees, &c, all very 
large. The land appears to be equal in quality 
to any we have seen, not excepting the bottoms 
of the Scioto and Paint Creek. About half a 
mile below, a handsome creek falls into the river 
from the north, which, we traced for a consider- 
able distance, and are convinced it affords a good 
mill seat. This creek bearing no name, we called 
it Dennis' Creek in honor of Philip Dennis. 

As night approached, Massanonga, taking his 
knife, left us, and in about fifteen minutes re- 
turned with a remarkably fine turkey. This he 
prepared and roasted for us in a very nice and 
expeditious manner, on which we fared sumptu- 
ously. At 9 o'clock we wrapped ourselves in 
our blankets, and laid down to sleep before the 
fire, having no shelter, The night was frosty ; 
we, however, slept tolerably and took no cold. 

In the night the otters were very noisy along 
the river, the deer also approached our fire and 
made a whistling noise y the wolves howled, and 
at the dawn of day turkies gobbled in all direc- 
tions. 

13th. Early this morning we arose, and 
breakfasted on the remains of the turkey cooked 
last evening, after which we fixed upon the piacQ 



38 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



for Philip Dennis' farm ; we also staked out the 
situation for his wigwam, which is about one 
hundred feet from the banks of the Wabash, and 
opposite to a fine spring of excellent water issuing 
out of the bank of the river. 

We are told by several persons well acquainted 
with the country, that from hence to St. Vin-= 
cennes, on the Wabash, a distance of two hun- 
dred miles by land, and three hundred and fifty 
by water, the land on both sides of the river 
embracing a very extensive width, is not inferior 
to the description given of this location in yes- 
terday's notes. 

At Mississinaway, a large Indian town of tne 
.Miami's, situated about thirty miles below us, 
on the Wabash, stone coal is found, which with 
limestone continues for two hundred miles down 
the river. 

There are no Indians between this and hovt 
Wayne, neither any between this and Mississin. 
away. Philip Dennis' nearest neighbors will be 
at the Little Turtle's town, eighteen miles dis* 
tant. Whilst here we have seen four peroques 
loaded with peltry, manned by Canadians and In. 
dians, on their way up the river to be tran- 
sported to Detroit. 

I may here observe that the Wabash aitords 
an abundance of large turtles, called soft shelled 
turtles, the outer coat being a hard skin, rather 
-ban a shell. Thev are esteemed excellent food, 
It also affords a great variety of fine fish, and 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 89 



we saw ducks in abundance ; we are told it is re- 
sorted to by geese and swans. 

About 8 o'clock in the morning we set out 
for Fort Wayne, where we arrived about 3 o'clock 
in the afternoon, and after dining with William 
Wells returned to our lodgings. 

14th. I may here observe that some days ago 
we came to a conclusion to return home by the 
way of the lakes ; to this we have been induced 
from a hope that we shall be subjected to fewer 
difficulties and much less fatigue than to retrace 
the way by which we came; and I may also , 
add, that we have been encouraged to this by 
the advice of our kind friends heretofore named, 
who have with much apparent cheerfulness 
offered to prepare a way for us; and this morn- 
ing being informed by our worthy friend, Cap- 
tain Whipple, that the boat intended for us 
would be in readiness against to-morrow, we 
spent the day in making preparations, and in 
writing to our families. 

15th. This morning we bade both a joyful 
and sorrowful farewell to Philip Dennis, and 
the two young men who accompanied us out. 
We also took leave of those generally with whom 
we had formed^n acquaintance, first breakfast- 
ing with Captain Whipple, whose hearty kind- 
ness to us has been so often repeated, that his 
name will deservedly claim a place in our re- 
membrance. He has fitted out a perogue for us 
8* 



90 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



and manned it with a corporal and private 
soldier from the fort; and, joined by John John- 
son and William Wells, has stocked it with an 
apparent superabundant supply both for eating 
and drinking. 

About 8 o'clock we embarked for Detroit, pro- 
ceeded about thirty miles down the Miami of the 
lakes, and in the evening encamped under a tent 
near the margin of the river. With respect to 
the appearance of the country, the same old- 
phrase must be continued ; " land of excellent 
quality " We several times went ashore to view 
the river bottoms, they were extensive and ap- 
peared to be first rate land. The timber, buck 
eye, ash, elm, sugar tree, oak, hickory, black 
and white walnut, &c. We saw ducks in abun- 
dance, and Corporal King says they breed here 
in s;reat numbers. This river affords a variety 
of fine fish, and mostly of descriptions very dif- 
ferent from those found in our salt waters. Of 
these the following are some of the names; 
black, yellow, and white bass, covers, pickerel, 
suckers, herrings, muscanago, gar, pike, catfish, 
sheeps-head, carp, and sturgeon. These are all 
caught with the hook except the two last. 

The sturgeon are now on their way from the 
lake to the head waters of the St. Joseph's and 
St. Mary's rivers. In company with the Little 
Turtle, our friends, John Johnson, William 
Wells, and some others, whilst at Fort Wayne, 
the conversation turned upon fish, and the then 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



91 



running up of the sturgeon ; the Little Turtle 
very humorously proposed to Johnson a project, 
which was to join in building a stone dam at the 
junction of the two rivers, to prevent the sturgeon 
from getting back again to the lake, and then said 
he " you and I will live on them this summer." 

We observed to-day (15th,) several hunting 
and sugar camps, and went on shore to visit two 
of the latter. The camps were well supplied 
with jerk venison, dried raccoon, sturgeon, &c. ; 
one man only was at the camp, and he was em- 
ployed with his knife in making a paddle for his 
canoe. A squaw was knitting a bag, and an- 
other was preparing the bark of the buckeye for 
thread, strings, &c, by beating it with a piece 
of wood. We saw amongst them several fat and 
healthy looking children, who were playful and 
did not appear to be afraid of us. The children 
presented us with a quarter of fresh venison, for 
which we returned them some salt meat and bis- 
cuit, with which they were pleased. Here we 
saw a child about six months old fixed to a board 
in the genuine Indian fashion. The board was 
straight, about fifteen inches in width, and two 
and a half feet in length, having at its head a 
circular handle, and at the foot a small ledge. 
To this the child was lashed by cloth bandages, 
and so tight that it could not move hand or foot 
The board was placed against a tree, almost per- 
pendicularly, and the infant asleep — of course in 
a standing position. The child was painted very 



92 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



red, and had silver bandages about^ its wrists, 
and ornaments of the same metal in its ears. 
The Indians are very fond of their children, and 
put about them very costly silver ornaments. 

I have seen Indian children dressed in a calico 
frock which was stuck with silver broaches from 
neck to heel, besides ornaments on the wrists, 
in the ear, and about the neck and head. 

4th month 16th. Proceeded very pleasantly 
down the river about fifty miles, and at night 
encamped under our tent. In the evening a 
severe thunder gust came on, with heavy rain, 
which continued for several hours after night, 
but having a good tent we did not get much 
wetted. In the course of the day we saw wild 
fowl in abundance, also passed by several Indian 
hunting and sugar camps. Our Corporal is very 
fond of saluting the camps with an imitation of 
an Indian whoop, which they are sure to answer 
by a similar note. This whoop very nearly re- 
sembles the shrill yelp of a dog. The land ap- 
pears to be of an excellent quality, and deer and 
turkies are very numerous. Here also 

" The prowling wolf howls hideous all night long. 
And owls vociferate the dread response." 

17 th. Proceeded about thirty -five miles, and at 
night encamped under our tent. We have been 
entertained to-day with a diversified scene. The 
river covered with wild fowl, fish jumping up 
around us, and turkies flying. 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



93 



We stopped a short time to view the remains 
of Fort Defiance. This fort was built by Gene- 
ral Wayne, in the course of his march to attack 
the Indians. The situation is very beautiful and 
commanding, at the junction of the river Great 
Au Glaize with the Miami. The two rivers 
make a large body of water, the width being 
about two hundred yards, A Canadian trader 
only resides here. We also went on shore several 
times to visit Indian towns and camps. Great 
numbers of Indians are settled upon the banks 
of the 'Miami ) they are chiefly of the Ottoway 
and Shawnese tribes. They appeared pleased 
at receiving visitors. Their children were very 
antic, and seemed to leap for joy on seeing us 
land ; doubtless from a hope of receiving some 
presents, The hunters are returning to their 
towns, and many of their wigwams are stocked 
with peltry, dried raccoon, and jerk venison, 
They are on their way to the foot of the rapids, 
The women are mostly employed in knitting 
bags and belts and in making moccasins. A 
considerable number of Indians are on the river 
in bark canoes loaded with peltry. They are on 
the way to the foot of the rapids and other places 
for the purpose of exchanging their peltry with 
the traders for goods. Most of the wigwams we 
have seen to-day are covered with rushes sewed 
together, which are procured from the shores of 
Lake Erie, and so put together, that the covering 
will turn any fall of rain, An Indian house is 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



constructed by putting two forks into the ground, 
and a horizontal piece from one fork to the 
other. Upon this piece rest long pieces of bark, 
with the other end upon the earth at a conveni- 
ent distance, thus sheltering them from the 
weather, Sometimes they make circular wig- 
wams, by putting small saplings into the ground 
in circular order, then bringing the other ends 
to a point, they tie them together. These they 
either cover with bark or with the rush mats 
before described. 

To-day we passed a place called Girty's'town^ 
noted for the former residence of Simon Girty. 

18th. Proceeded about thirty- three miles. In 
the earlier part of the day we passed several 
creeks and small streams, and at length reached 
what is called the head of the rapids, The river is 
here about four hundred yards wide. The noise 
of the falls informed us of our approach, long be- 
fore we reached them. Having reason to be- 
lieve that our peroque was manned by careful 
hands, we resolutely entered the rapids and de- 
scended with great velocity down the fall for the 
distance of eighteen miles to the foot of the 
rapids. The whole of this distance is a continued 
fall, the land falling with the same regularity, 
and generally elevated but a few feet above the 
surface of the water. It is needless to say that 
we went swiftly down, when I add, that it is a 
trip occupying but one hour and a half. 

The bed of the river is a solid limestone rock, 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



95 



At the foot of the Rapids we lodged all night at 
the house of a Canadian trader, who treated us 
with great respect, and, though a tavern-keeper, 
would receive no pay from us for our supper ; 
lodgings, or breakfast. A considerable encamp- 
ment of Indians, who had come to trade with 
him was near his house. They were very merry 
for a great part of the night, keeping up a con- 
tinued sound of their favorite instruments of 
music, amongst them the drum and fife. The 
former is made of part of the body of a hollow 
tree, with the ends covered with deer skin, upon 
which they beat with sticks, the latter they 
make of reed into which they bore holes some- 
what in imitation of a fife. The foot of the 
Rapids is rendered well known in American his- 
tory, as having been a place of freqnent ren- 
dezvous by the Indians, previous to their defeat 
by General Wayne. Here also the Indians burnt 
many of the white men who were taken prisoners 
by them. To this place Wayne marched, and 
here he met and defeated the Indian army. 

About eight miles above the foot of the Rapids 
and near the centre of the river, in a very rapid 
situation, is a noted rock called by the Cana- 
dians, Rochede Bout, (or standing rock.) This 
rock is about thirty feet in height above the 
surface of the water, and the same in diameter. 
The top has the regular appearance of the roof 
of a house, and the body of the rock is circular. 
Its appearance is additionally handsome from 



96 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



the circumstance of the roof, as it is called, being 
covered with cedar. 

Fish are now passing up the Eapids in great 
numbers from the lakes, insomuch that the water 
smells strongly of them. They are taken very 
abundantly by the Canadians and Indians. The 
fisherman without seeing them strikes his barbed 
spear to the rocks, which often passes through 
several at a time, and frequently of different 
kinds. The muscanonje are taken here in great 
numbers j they are a fish from three to five feet in 
length. 

19th. This morning we proceeded with diffi- 
culty ten miles ; owing to high winds, and a rain 
coming on, prudence seemed to dictate that we 
should put into a harbor, which we did at the 
mouth of Swan creek, where is a small fort and 
garrison lately established by the United States. 
Introductory " letters were given us at Fort 
Wayne, to Lieutenant Rhea, the Commandant, 
which we delivered. He treated us with respect, 
and with him we spent the remainder of the day 
and lodged. ' On our way we stopped to view an 
old fort, called Fort Miami, which was garrisoned 
by the British at the time Wayne defeated the 
Indians. 

Many Indian villages and wigwams are seated 
on both shores of the river, and many Canadian 
traders are to be found residing amongst them. 
They have generally intermarried with the In- 
dians, and adopted their manners. Some of the 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



9? 



Indian bouses which we passed today are built 
of small round logs, and are roofed with bark. 
Near the mouth of Swan creek is an extensive 
valley of which we took a particular view. Here 
the Indians placed their wives and children at 
the time they agreed to make battle with Gene- 
ral Wayne. 

The river increases in width from the foot of 
the Rapids toward the lake. It is more than 
half a mile wide opposite Swan creek, and at 
present has the appearance of tide water ; a 
strong east wind having brought a heavy swell 
from the lake, which has in a short time raised 
the river more than three feet in perpendicular 
height. We saw to-day geese and swans in 
great abundance. 

20th. This morning notwithstanding the very 
unfavorable appearance of the weather, it being 
rainy and the wind high, we again proceeded. 
At the end of three miles we reached the mouth 
of the river, where we entered a beautiful circu- 
lar bay, about six miles in diameter, called Miami 
bay.* The wind continuing high, we proceeded 
along the margin of the bay, for about ten mi es 
to a point called Bay Point. This is the ex- 
treme point of land, between Miami Bay and 
Lake Erie. We attempted to turn the point in 
order to enter the lake, but the situation being 
bleak and the wind high, occasioned a heavy 



* Now called Maumee Bay, 
9 



98 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



swell, and apprehending danger, we thought it 
most advisable, however reluctantly, to put to 
shore and encamp. . 

The shore of that part of the bay which we 
have passed, as also of the lake now in view, is 
elevated bat a little above the surface of the 
water. The country is level and appears rich. 
The bay is resorted to by vast numbers of wild 

fowl. , 
21st. The last night has been very stormy and 
rainy. Our tent, though a good, one did not 
shelter us altogether from the rain. The high 
swells in the course of the night, breaking over 
our peroque, filled and sunk her, which has oc- 
casioned our men much labor and difficulty. And 
during this day the storm continuing, we have 
been obliged to remain under our tent. 

22d. About midnight the clouds dispersing, 
wind becoming calm, and the moon shining very 
refulgently, we were encouraged again to embark, 
notwithstanding a considerable agitation of the 
lake from the storm, and were successful enough 
to turn Bay Point, after which we proceeded 
without difficulty to Point Raisin, near the mouth 
of the river Raisin, (or Grape river,) making a 
distance of about twelve miles, when the wind 
rising we made an unsuccessful attempt to get 
round the Point, and were again obliged to seek 
a harbor and wait for a calm. Shortly after we 
had put into harbor a fish approached the shore 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



99 



very near to us and seemed to be at play.^ One 
of our men advanced toward it very cautiously, 
and with an oar, gave it a blow upon the tail, 
which so disabled it that he caught it. We 
found it to be a muscanonje. measuring four feet 
two inches in length and proportionally thick. 
The muscanonje is from head to tail very beau- 
tifully spotted, and is I think not inferior to any 
fish I ever tasted. 

For several days past we have been not a little 
mortified at being confined to a harbor, whilst 
the Indians are passing us very frequently m 
their bark canoes. It is astonishing to see these 
canoes riding large swells without danger It is 
certain that they will ride waves whose height 
exceeds their length. 

Many of the bark canoes of the Indians have 
fallen under our observation. They are gene- 
rally made of the bark of the birch tree, and 
shaped differently. We have seen bark canoes 
loaded with two thousand five hundred weight, 
which were so light that two men could carry 
them on their sheulders with great ease, The 
construction of the smaller description of these 
boats is so simple, that in an hour they will 
have a canoe made which will carry several per-* 
sons across their rivers. We have also seen many 
of their rafts. These are made for crossing 
rivers at those seasons of the year when it is not 
easy to strip the bark from the trees. In all the 
river bottoms the buckeye wood is to be found. 



100 



JOURNAL OE A VISIT TO 



This they prefer for making a raft, on account 
of its lightness when dried, it being a wood nearly 
as light as cork. The Indians tie together small 
logs of the buckeye wood, to form a square of 
about five or six feet, this they cross by pieces 
of any other description of wood, confining piece 
to piece by bark strings, splits of hoop ash, &c. 
Upon a raft of this description, three or four 
persons will cross their rivers even though the 
currentbe against them. 

We had not been long in harbor, before our 
anxiety to proceed exceeded our patience, and 
observing in view at an apparent distance of one 
and a half to two miles from us, about fifty 
houses resembling a village, we concluded to 
abandon our peroque, walk to the settlement, 
and then endeavor to procure horses to take us 
to Detroit. 

At 11 o y clock this morning we set out for this 
purpose, followed by our men with our baggage 
on their backs, and after walking over a wet 
prairie, through mud and water, half a leg and 
more in depth, for the distance of nearly six 
miles, we reached the place. Viewing this set- 
tlement from the lake, and over a tract so level 
that the elevation between it and us did not ex- 
ceed two feet, occasioned us to be so greatly de- 
ceived in the distance. On arriving we found 
that, instead of a village, it was a settlement of 
French farmers situated along the river Raisin, 
and presenting a very beautiful scene. The 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



101 



farms contain from sixty to eighty acres, laid off 
in parallelograms. The buildings are good, and 
the gardens and orchards handsome. We un- 
derstand that about two miles higher up the river 
there is another settlement composed of about 
forty families, and upon Otter Creek, about four 
miles distant, a third settlement containing about 
thirty families. These people are Roman Ca- 
tholics. We were soon informed that the dis- 
tance from here to Detroit was thirty-six miles 
by land, and that the road passed through so flat 
and wet a country, for the greater part of the 
way, that at this season of the year, it was almost 
impossible to travel it on horseback, and were 
advised to wait on the wind for a passage by water. 
We, therefore, concluded to take lodgings at 
the house of John Bedient, who has offered to 
entertain us, and dispatched our men to the boat, 
with instructions to come up the river Raisin for 
us, as soon as wind and weather permitted ; being 
so wearied and overcome with our li Jack-o-Lan- 
tern" excursion, that we could not consent to 
retrace our steps to the boat. 

23d. A strong west wind, attended with heavy 
rain last night and this day, have prevented our 
men from getting to us. It is a fact well-known 
here, that northwest and west winds are as certain 
to produce cloudy weather as easterly winds with 
us. This is doubtless owing to the humidity of 
the vast western lakes. The same winds are 
severely cold in winter, no doubt from the im- 
9* 



102 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



mense bodies of ice then accumulated upon those 
lakes. 

24th. This morning our men arrived about 8 
o'clock, with theperoque, the wind having abated 
and the weather fair. We again embarked, and 
on our way down the river Raisin were amused 
with the great numbers of wild geese, which 
were at play in the ponds near the margin of the 
river. They feed here so undisturbedly, that 
though we were within gun shot of them, they 
took but little notice of us. We again entered 
the lake, and encouraged our men to make the 
best of its smooth surface. They proceeded^with 
great industry, and at night we reached a Wyan- 
dot town, called Brown's town, making a distance 
of about thirty miles. Here we concluded to 
lodge at the house of William Walker, who is 
interpreter for those of the Wyandot nation who 
are settled on this side of the lake. He is 
married to an Indian woman who speaks good 
English, and is very conversible. She gave us 
for supper bacon, bear's meat, and eggs fried, 
also a dish of tea. 

Brownstown is situated at the mouth of the 
Detroit river, and on the American side. The 
river Detroit is a vast body of running water. 
Its mouth is two miles in width, and the water 
passes out of it into the lake with a strong cur- 
rent. Its channel is wide, generally ten fathoms 
in depth, and in many places much deeper. The 
name Detroit river is a corruption. Detroit, a 



'THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



French word, signifies the Strait, a name much 
more appropos, it being but an outlet from the 
waters of the western lakes to Lake Erie, 

25th. This morning our curiosity led us to 
take a view of Brownstown. The village contains 
about one hundred houses, which are generally 
built of small round logs, and roofed with elm 
bark. These Indians cultivate a considerable 
quantity of corn, and their fields are enclosed 
with rails of their own splitting. We saw a 
sample of the wheat which they had raised the 
last season, which looked well. They have gar- 
dens and a considerable number of fruit trees. 
They have a small number of cattle, and raise a 
large number of hogs. The interpreter says they 
are greatly disposed to civilization, and have re- 
quested of the United States to furnish them 
this year with cattle, instead of goods or money 
for their annuity. 

After taking breakfast, we again embarked 
and proceeded up the river Detroit, passing by 
another Indian town called Walk-in-the-Water 
village, a name derived from the principal chief 
of the settlement. The village contains about 
twenty houses, and bears the same civilized ap- 
pearance as Brownstown. 

After passing the river Le Cas and the river 
Range, we came opposite to a British town 
called Sandwich, where, upon an elevated position, 
we beheld the horrible spectacle of two men 
hanging in gibbets. 



104 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



The white settlements, on both the American 
and British shores of the Detroit, are so near 
together, that the farms resemble villages. 
Nearly opposite Sandwich is Detroit, which we 
reached about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and 
proceeded to the boarding house of the widow 
Harrison, to whom we had been recommended, 
having come eighteen miles. In the evening, 
Charles Jewett and several others came to see 
us ; they told us they had heard of the arrival of 
some strangers, and expected we were from the 
interior of the United States ; that for a long 
time they had received no account from the seat 
of government, and were anxious to hear the 
news. Having an open letter from the Secre- 
tary of War, directed to Charles Jewett. and to 
the commanding officer at Detroit, we embraced 
the opportunity to present it. The letter was as 
follows : 

"War Department, February 20th, 1804. 

il Gentlemen, — This will be handed you by 
Joel Wright, George Ellieott, and Gerard Hop- 
kins. They are amongst the most respectable 
members of the Society of Friends in Maryland. 
Their object is to visit some of the western In- 
dians, for the laudable purpose of encouraging 
and aiding them in the introduction of agricul- 
ture and other improvements essential to the 
happiness of the red people. They are men of 
science, information and property, and are en- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



105 



titled to the civilities and attention of all good 
men. You will please to afford them every aid, 
and should they wish to cross the lake from De- 
troit to Niagara, and a public vessel being about 
to sail for that place, accommodations should be 
afforded them free of expense, and letters of in- 
troduction given them to Major Porter. 
u I am respectfully 

" Your humble servant, 

U 'H. Dearborn. 
" To the Commanding Officer at Detroit, and Charles 
Jewett, Esq., Indian Agent." 

Charles Jewett received us with great civility, 
and has invited us to dine with him to-morrow, 
to which we have consented. 

4th month 27th, This morning Charles 
Jewett again called upon us, and at his request 
we accompanied him to the garrison, and 
were introduced to the commanding officer, 
Major Pike, who appears to be a genteel and 
clever old man. He informed us that a public 
vessel would sail for Niagara, about the first of 
the ensuing month, and recommended us very 
strongly to take passage in her, in preference to 
any other vessel, she being in good order, and 
under the management of mariners well ac- 
quainted with the lake. This vessel is under his 
superintendence. 

Agreeably to engagement, we dined to-day with 
Charles J ewett. The revenue officer for the port 
of Detroit, Captain Ernest, also dined with us. 



106 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



28th. This day we dined with Major Pike, in 
compliance with an invitation which he gave us 
yesterday. He treated us with great respect^and 
attention, and appeared to be pleased with our 
company. New Jersey being the place of his 
nativity, he has considerable knowledge of our 
Society. In the course of conversation he in- 
quired after Peter Tarnall, and says that Peter 
and himself were in the same military company 
during the Revolutionary war ; he had not heard 
of his death. 

The following circumstance, as related by him, 
making at the time considerable impression upon 
me, I have thought proper to record it. He told 
us that several officers with Peter and himself 
were lodging together; that one night Peter 
alarme<Lthem allwith loud screams to such ade~ 
gree that on first awaking he supposed the enemy 
had fallen upon their army with bayonets, Peter 
was on his feet, and appeared to be awake. They 
spoke to him repeatedly, and endeavored to ap- 
proach him, but every advance they made in- 
creased his alarm. Finally he recovered himself 
and became composed, and for several days after- 
wards, instead of satisfying their inquiries, ap^ 
peared to be sunk in distress and gloom. He 
afterwards told them he considered his alarm as 
a warning to him, and that his fright arose from 
a plain representation of the devil, come to take 
him off. Peter in a short time left the army, 
and (said the Major) I always believed that his 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



107 



reformation had its rise from that circumstance. 

28th. This day we dined with Robert Monroe, 
factor of the United States in the Indian Depart- 
ment. At his table we met our friend Charles 
Jewett, the revenue officer before named, Judge 
Henry and Lawyer Sibley. 

29th. This day we dined with Frederick 
Bates, at his lodgings. He is descended from 
Friends, and discovers great partiality for our 
company. He is a young man of superior under- 
standing, and is much esteemed in Detroit. I 
feel and fear for the situation of this young 
man. It is not in human nature to support good 
principles unblemished, when left alone to stem 
the torrent of fashionable and fascinating vices. 
Detroit is a place of great corruption. 

30th. This day we rode nine miles up the 
river Detroit to take a view of Lake St. Clair. 
This lake is thirty miles in length, and twenty 
miles in width. We had a beautiful prospect of 
it, from a commanding situation. I ought to 
have mentioned that bordering the river, the 
whole distance from Detroit to the lake, the land 
is handsomely improved. The houses are so 
near each other that the margin of the river 
looks like a village. These farms are grants 
made by the French government nearly a cen- 
tury ago. They uniformly lie in parallelograms 
containing about one hundred acres. Added to 
tolerable dwelling houses are the handsomest 
apple orchards I ever saw. The extraordinary 



108 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



heathfulness of the trees, indicates a suitableness 
of climate or soil, or both. 
* The pear trees also are very large and hand- 
some ; but their cherry and peach trees do not 
thrive well, the climate being too cold for them. 

In this little excursion we were accompanied 
by Frederick Bates, and returned in time to com- 
ply with an invitation we had received to dine 
with Doctor Davis. Major Pike, and several 
others, dined with us. 

5th month 1st. We this day dined with Dr. 
Wilkinson, who removed from the lower part of 
the State of Maryland. Were we as fond of 
eating and drinking as the people of Detroit ap- 
pear to be, it would be no marvel if we should 
foro-et our homes, and think ourselves well enough 
entertained where we are; but whilst we have 
been under an apparent necessity of yielding to 
the invitations we have received during (shall I 
say?) our imprisonment here, we know we have 
been very anxious for the time to arrive, in which 
we may embark homewards, and hope that to- 
morrow morning the vessel for which we have 
been waiting will sail. 

2d. This morning, wind and weather appear- 
in* to permit, we were informed that at 9 o'clock 
the vessel would sail. We accordingly bade 
farewell to our acquaintance, and went on board 
the United States brig called the John Adams, 
commanded by Commodore Brevoort. About 9 
o'clock sail was hoisted ; and we proceeded to 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



109 



the mouth of the river Detroit, when night com- 
ing on, and the wind being unfavorable, we 
anchored near the British shore, and opposite to 
the town of Maiden. 

3d. Weighed anchor. Winds light and op- 
posite ; anchored again about 8 o'clock in the 
evening, near an island called the Middle Sister. 

4th. About 4 o'clock this morning again 
weighed anchor, and a calm coming on about 10 
o'clock, we anchored again near Middle Bass 
Island, where we were confined the remainder 
of the day. In the afternoon some of us amused 
ourselves with fishing. The small boat was 
rowed by several hands around the island, whilst 
we cast our lines, about thirty feet in length, hav- 
ing hooks baited with the skin of pork and 
covered in part with a piece of red cloth. In a 
short time we caught upwards of five dozen 
black bass, justly esteemed an excellent fish, and 
weighing from four to six pounds. The lake 
water is so clear, that fish can be seen from 
twelve to fifteen feet below the surface. Many 
of the fish we caught, we saw advancing to our 
hooks. 

5th. At 4 o'clock this morning again hoisted 
sail. Weather windy, attended with rain. We 
had not proceeded far before a head wind opposed 
our sailing, and we cast anchor at an island 
called Middle Island. At 4 o'clock in the after- 
noon a heavy rain and thunder gust coming on, 
it was deemed safest to return back a few leagues 
10 



110 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



to a harbor called Put-in-Bay, where we lay dur- 
ing the night. 

6th. This morning at 6 o'clock we again 
hoisted sail ; wind and weather clear and pleasant. 
We are now, 9 o'cl ck at night, under sail. 

7th. Have been under sail last night and this 
day until evening, when we cast anchor opposite 
to Presqueile, for the purpose of landing a part of 
our passengers. 

8th. During last night lay at Presqueile. and 
this morning put on shore the passengers bound 
for that place, after which, the wind heading us, 
we lay at anchor the rest of the day. Presqueile 
is a town on the American side of the lake, con- 
taining about forty houses, several of which are 
stores. A small garrison of the United States is 
stationed here. 

9th. About 10 o'clock last night, a light favor- 
able breeze sprung up, which encouraged us to 
proceed. The vessel has been all night and du- 
ring the day under sail. At 8 o'clock in the 
evening we dropped anchor, within four miles of 
'Niagara river. Our commander says that the 
channel leading into the harbor, is rocky and 
dangerous, and deems it imprudent to attempt 
an entrance at night. 

It is a pleasing reflection, that we are so near 
to the end of our passage over the lake ; and we 
are gladdened with the hope, that we shall shortly 
prosecute the remainder of our journey over 
terra firma, -where we shall not be subject to 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. Ill 



the impediments of opposing winds, and be freed 
from the dangers of storms. Lake Erie is a 
very beautiful body of water, 30u miles in 
length and generally from 50 to 60 in width. 
Much of the distance we have sailed has been out 
of sight of land. The water of the lake appears 
to be of a beautiful deep green color, but when 
taken up in a glass vessel, is to be admired for 
its transparency. I think it is, without exception, 
the sweetest water I ever drank. 

10th. At 4 o'clock this morning our anchor 
was again hoisted, and in about half an hour we 
were safely moored at Fort Erie. This is a small 
fort on the Canadian shore of the lake, garrison- 
ed by the British. Immediately on our arrival, 
we set out on foot for Buffalo, distant 5 miles, a 
town situated at the junction of Buffalo Creek 
with Lake Erie, and near the commencement of 
the outlet of the lake, commonly called Niagara 
river. The object of this, excursion was to ob- 
tain a conveyance across the country to the near- 
est line of public stages. We were successful in 
an application to one of the inhabitants, who 
agreed to furnish us with a light wagon, to he 
in readiness two day's hence. Here we met with 
Erasmus Granger, an agent of the United States, 
in the Indian Department. We had conversa- 
tion wkh him at considerable length on Indian 
affairs. He tells us that many individuals 
amongst the Indians of his district; (who are of 



112 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



the Six Nations,) are turning their attention to 
agriculture. 

About mid-day we returned in a small boat to 
our vessel. After dining on board, we went on 
shore at Fort Erie, and joined by our Commodore 
and Lieutenant Cox, a passenger with us from 
Detroit, we engaged a light wagon to return with 
us at 4 o'clock to-morrow morning, to view the 
Falls of Niagara, distant about eighteen miles. We 
extended our walk for a considerable distance 
along the shore of Lake Erie; it is here composed 
of a solid body of limestone, beautifully marbled. 

11th. This morning we sat out for the Falls 
of Niagara ; our road passed near the margin of 
Niagara river, from the lake to the Falls, a dis- 
tance of 18 miles, which afforded us a view 
both of the river, and of the adjacent improve- 
ments. The land is generally under cultivation, 
and is tolerably improved. The soil appears 
rather cold and stiff ; but some of the meadows 
are nearly equal to the best I ever saw; some of 
the farms belong to members of our society, and 
we are told that there is a meeting of Friends 
not far distant from the Falls. Considerable 
emigrations are making from the United States, 
to this as well as other parts of Upper Canada, 
owing to the very advantageous terms upon 
which the British Government dispose of the 
land, being scarcely removed from a gift. 

We reached a Canadian town called Chippewa, 
to breakfast, after which we walked to the Falls, 



THE WESTERN INDIANS 113 



a distance of two miles. This was a walk, of 
which every step seemed to increase curiosity 
and surprise. Our attention was soon arrested 
by a cloud which hangs perpetually over the 
Falls for the height of 600 feet ; arising from the 
dashing of the waters. 

As we advanced to the Falls the solid earth 
and rocks shook, or seemed to shake, under our 
feet, whilst the roar of the waters so overpowered 
every other sound that, notwithstanding we were 
tete-a-tete, it was necessary to raise the voico to 
a very loud key in order to be heard. Mean- 
while the cloud above mentioned issued contin- 
ually in what we sometimes hear called a Scotch 
mist. 

There is a common saying, " Those who know 
no danger ; fear none/' This was our case on re- 
turning to the extremity of an overjutting rock, 
called Table Hock, opposite to the great cataract, 
in order to gratify our curiosity, in a peep down 
the precipice which is more than 150 feet per- 
pendicular. In passing afterwards a short dis- 
tance below this rock, we were alarmed with the 
discovery, that the place on which we had stood 
was but a thin shell, the Falls having under- 
mined the rock for many feet. Proceeding a 
little lower down the Falls, we again fouud that 
our second stand was almost as baseless. We 
however supposed that the danger was not equal 
to our apprehensions, as the names of great num- 
bers of visitors were cut in these rocks, near their 
10* 



114 



JOURNAL OF A YISIT TO 



extremities. I shall not attempt to give a par- 
ticular description of the Falls of Niagara, which 
has been done by persons who have visited them, 
for the especial purpose of gratifying the curious. 
After we had gratified our curiosity in a view of 
them we returned to Fort Erie, and after 
night were rowed in a small boat to Buffalo town, 
in order to be in readiness for setting out home- 
ward in the morning. 

12th. The person who has engaged to take us 
on our journey this morning has disappointed us. 
The circumstance is a trial, as we have become 
very anxious to reach our homes. Being at lei- 
sure we accompanied the Indian agent in a ride, 
four miles above Buffalo Creek, to an Indian vil- 
lage of the Senecas, one of the tribes of the Six 
Nations. 

They are making considerable progress in 
agriculture, live in tolerable log houses, and have 
a C number of cattle, horses and hogs. We saw 
many of them at work ; they were preparing the 
ground for the plough by rolling logs, taking up 
stumps, &c. 

We also saw among them a large plough at 
work, drawn by three yoke of oxen, and attended 
by three Indians. They all appeared to be very 
merry, and to be pleased with our visit. The 
land upon which these Indians are settled is of 
a superior quality. We saw amongst them Bed 
Jacket, Farmers Brother, and several other dis- 
tinguished Chiefs. Many of these Indians wor- 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 115 



in their ears, and round their necks, strung upon 
strings, several descriptions of Lake shells. Here 
we met with Saccarissa, a principal chief of the 
Tuscarora tribe. He has come for the purpose 
of being assisted by the agent in vesting fifteen 
thousand dollars in the purchase of land from the 
Holland Land Company, They have greatly de- 
clined hunting, and are becoming agriculturists. 
The Tuscarora Indians removed from North Caro- 
lina many years ago, and were received into the 
then Five Nations, or Iroquois Indians, who gave 
them a small tract of country, which they now 
think wants enlarging. It is a fact, that the 
Six Nations have stock in the Bank of the 
United States to the amount of more than one 
hundred thousand dollars, from which they draw 
regular dividends. This is money which they 
received some years ago from our Government 
for the sale of their lands. 

The Chiefs and principal people took the advice 
of General Washington, in making bank stock of 
their money. 

13th. This morning we set out from Buffalo 
in a farm wagon drawn by two horses, and tra- 
velled 32 miles through a rough and inferior 
country. 

14th. Proceeded 23 miles and reached Bata- 
via, a new town, handsomely situated. We have 
had a muddy, disagreeable road, through a coun- 
try too flat to be desirable. The land is pretty 
rich, and very heavily timbered. We have been 



116 A JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



all day followed by millions of mosquitoes; 
crossed a handsome stream called the Tantawan- 
tae, and were told at the Ford that a little dis- 
tance above us 120 rattle snakes lay dead. These 
snakes were killed by some fishermen with their 
spears, the warm weather having brought them 
out of their dens. People are making settle- 
ments here very rapidly. 

15th. Travelled 33 miles, and lodged at War- 
ner's Tavern. The land for the most part tol- 
erable. The New England people are making 
many handsome settlements here. They have 
built fine farm houses, planted handsome or- 
chards, and emigration is increasing. The stone 
is mostly limestone. We passed for several miles 
over a tract covered with limestone, which con- 
tained a great variety of curious marine shells. 
The country affords many fine springs; one 
which we passed contains water sufiicient to turn 
a milk We also passed through a large Indian 
town, near the Genesee river, and to-day crossed 
that river, where its width is about 100 feet. 

16th. At 6 o'clock this morning we again 
proceeded ; passed near Hemlock lake, and 
Honey lake, of which the waters empty into the 
Genesee river. The face of the country is gen- 
erally tolerable, but stony. We to-day also saw 
the same appearances of marine shells as yesterday. 
About mid-day we reached the town of Canan- 
daigua ; situated upon a lake of that name, about 
20°miles in length, and from one to two 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 117 



miles in width; its waters empty into Lake 
Ontario. The improvements on this tract are 
astonishingly handsome for a new country, par- 
ticularly through a settlement called Bloomfield. 
At Canandaigua, we exchanged a rough wagon, 
for the public stage, a circumstance additionally 
gratifying to us from the hope that we shall now 
proceed homewards with expedition. At 2 o'clock 
set out in the stage, and reached the town of 
Geneva where we lodged. This is a handsome 
new town situated upon Seneca lake, a body of 
water forty miles in length, and from three to 
three and half miles in width. 

17th. Travelled about fifty miles and lodged 
at the village of Onandagua. On our way we 
reached a handsome wooden bridge one mile in 
length, over Cayuga Lake. 

18th. Travelled fifty miles to the handsome 
town of Utica, situated on the Mohawk river. 
Passed near Oneida Lake, and through a large 
settlement of Indians of the Oneida tribe. Their 
town consists of about seven hundred Indians. 
They have good houses, a meeting house, barns 
and orchards. Their land is under cultivation, 
is level, and appears to be of good quality. We 
saw many of them in their fields preparing for 
corn. These Indians have been greatly aided in 
. agriculture, by the Friends of Philadelphia. 

19th. This morning we again proceeded, and 
at night lodged at a small village called George- 
town, making a distance of fifty miles. Our road 



118 A JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO 



led us the whole distance along the Mohawk 

The Bottoms along this river are called the 
German Flats, and are very rich and handsome. 
They were settled many years ago by the Germans. 
We stopped to view the Falls in the river, where 
the navigation is made easy by locks ; a very 
romantic place, there being limestone rock of 
enormous size, both in the water and upon the 
hills. In proceeding along the bottoms of this 
river there are many marks which indicate that 
at some period of time there was a vast body of 
water covering these Flats. The Flats are gen- 
erally from half a mile to a mile in width ; their 
margins are a continuation of hills on each side, 
which are from two to three hundred feet m 
height; the surface of the hills show stones of 
oreat size, which are washed into all shapes; 
added to this, the hills discover evident appear- 
ances of those indentures common to river shores. 

20th. Again prosecuted our journey, passing 
along the Mohawk river to the town of Schen- 
ectady, where we crossed the river, and in the 
evening reached the town of Albany upon the 
North river, making a distance of forty eight 
miles. I cannot but observe here, that in pro- 
ceeding along the Mohawk river to-day, we came 
to the & end of those high chains of hills mention- 
ed yesterday, where the country made quite a 

level appearance; so that we were puzzled I to 
conjecture what became of the earth which had 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



119 



enclosed so great a body of water, as the hills 
seem to declare once washed their summits. I 
may add, in humble confession, that in the course 
of our long journey, I have had frequent occasions 
to acknowledge, in a view of those extraordinary 
and inexplicable natural curiosities, which have 
fallen under our observation, the truth of that 
excellent sentiment of a religious poet, 

" Nature is wrapt up, 
In tenfold night, from reason's keenest eye." — Young. 

Between Schenectady and Albany the coun- 
try is the poorest 1 ever saw. The surface is a 
body of sand, producing scarcely a tree. Surely 
one of Churchill's lines, relative to a part of 
Scotland, may with propriety be applied to this 
tract, 

" Here half starved spiders feed on half starved flies." 

21st. Having concluded to go by water from 
Albany to New York, at 3 o'clock this afternoon, 
we set sail, and at six o'clock in the evening of 
the 23d reached New York, a distance of one 
hundred and sixty miles. 

24th. At 8 o'clock this morning, we took 
public stage, and passing through the city of 
Philadelphia, reached Baltimore on First-day 
the 27th of 5th month, 1804. Here reader, allow 
me to add I was gladdened with the favor of being 
permitted safely to return to my home, and 



120 



THE WESTERN INDIANS. 



grateful for the additional blessing of finding my 
dear wife and infant children all well. 

We were absent on this visit three months 
and four days, and travelled about two thousand 
miles. 



APPENDIX. 



Whilst engaged in taking a copy of the pre- 
ceding journal, I have been induced to examine 
the manuscripts left by the late George Ellicott, 
of Ellicott's Mills, the companion in this em- 
bassy of the author of the narrative, to discover 
if I could find amongst them any matter concern- 
ing the Indians, and of the care manifested by 
the Friends of Baltimore Yearly Meeting on 
their behalf. In the course of this investigation 
a variety of material on the subjects mentioned 
has presented, from which I have gleaned some 
fragments, which, as they promise to be inter- 
esting to the readers of the present day, are 
herewith presented. 

The first extracts are from the unpublished 
account of a journey to Upper Sandusky, in 1799, 
performed by some of the members of the In- 
dian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, 
and written by George Ellicott. He appears 
to have considered that any narrative of the 
kind should be preceded by information con- 
cerning the Indians, as they were in former 
years; and had therefore prepared a preface to 
this work, compiled from the writings of Jeffer- 
son, and other authorities, from which the fol- 
lowing is taken : T. 
11 



122 



APPENDIX. 



" When the first effectual settlement was 
made in Virginia,* which, was in the year 1607, 
the country from the sea coast to the mountains, 
and from the Potomac to the most southern 
waters of James river, was occupied by upwards 
of forty different tribes of Indians. Of these, 
the Powhatans, the Mannahoacs, and Mona- 
cans, were the most powerful. Those between 
the falls of the rivers and the mountains were 
divided into two confederacies ; the tribes in- 
habiting the head waters of the Potomac and 
Rappahannock being attached to the Manna- 
hoars, and those on the upper part of James 
river to the Monacans. But the Monacans and 
their friends were in amity with the Mannahoars 
and their friends, and waged joint and perpetual 
war against the Powhatans. We are told that 
the Powhatans, Mannahoacs, and Monacans, 
spoke languages so radically different, that in- 
terpreters were necessary when they transacted 
business. Hence we may conjecture that this 
was not the case between all the tribes, and prob- 
ably that each spoke the language of the nation 
to which it was attached, which is known to 
have been the case in many particular instances. 
Very possibly there may have been anciently 
three different stocks, each of which multiplying 
in a long course of time, had separated into so 
many little societies. This practice results from 



*See Jefferson's Notes on Virginia. 



APPENDIX. 



123 



the circumstance of their never having submitted 
themselves to any laws, any coercive power, or 
any shadow of government. Their only con- 
trasts are their manners, and that moral sense of 
right and wrong which, like the sense of tasting 
and feeling in every man, makes a part of his 
nature. An offence against these is punished 
by contempt, by exclusion from society, or, where 
the case is serious, as that of murder, by the in- 
dividuals whom it concerns. Imperfect as this spe- 
cies of coercion may seem, crimes are very rare 
amongst them, insomuch that were it made a ques- 
tion whether no law, as among the native Ameri- 
cans, or too much law, as among the civilized Euro- 
peans, submits men to the greatest evil ; one who 
has seen both conditions of existence would pro- 
nounce it to be the last, and that the sheep are 
happier of themselves, than under the care of 
wolves. It will be said that great societies can- 
not exist without the aid of government. The 
savages therefore break themselves into small 
ones. The territories of the Powhatan confede- 
racy south of the Potomac, comprehended about 
8000 square miles, 30 tribes, and 2400 hundred 
warriors. Captain Smith tells us, that within 
60 miles of Jamestown were 5000 people, of 
whom 1500 were warriors. From this we find 
the proportion of their warriors to their whole 
inhabitants was as 3 to 10. The Powhatan 
confederacy then would consist of about 8,000 
inhabitants, which was one for every square 



124 



APPENDIX. 



mile; being about the twentieth part of our 
present population in the same territory, and the 
hundredth of that of the British Islands. The 
numbers of some of them are stated as they 
were in the year 1669, when an attempt was 
made by the Assembly to enumerate them. 
Probably the enumeration is imperfect, and in 
some measure conjectural, and that a further 
search into the records would furnish many more 
particulars. What would be the melancholy 
sequel of their history, may, however, be 
augured from the census of 1069, by which we 
discover that the tribes therein mentioned and 
enumerated, were, in the space of 62 years re- 
duced to about one-third of their former number. 
Spirituous liquors, the small pox, war, and an 
abridgment of territory, to a people who lived 
principally on the spontaneous productions of 
nature, had committed great havoc among them. 
That the lands of this country (Virginia,) were 
taken from them by conquest, is not so general 
a truth as is supposed. We find in our histo- 
ries and records, repeated proofs of purchase 
which cover a considerable part of the lower 
country, and many more would doubtless be 
found on further search. The upper country, 
we know, has been acquired altogether by pur- 
chases made in the most unexceptionable form, 
westward of all these tribes, beyond the moun- 
tains, and extending to the great lakes on the 
Massawornics. a most powerful confederacy, who 



APPENDIX. 



125 



harassed unremittingly the Powhatans and Man- 
nahoacs. These were probably the ancestors 
of the tribes known at present by the name 
of the Six Nations. Very little can now be dis- 
covered of the subsequent history of these tribes 
severally. The Chickalaminies removed about 
1661 to Mattapony river. Their chief, with one 
of each of the tribes of the Pamunkies and Mat- 
tahonys, attended the meeting at Albany, in 
1685 ) this seems to be the last chapter in their 
history. The Monacans and their friends, better 
known latterly by the name of Tuscaroras, were 
probably connected with the Massawomics, or 
Five Nations; for though we are told that their 
languages were so different that the interven- 
tion of interpreters was necessary between them, 
yet we also learn that the Erigas, a nation for- 
merly inhabiting the Ohio, were of the same 
original stock with the Five Nations, and that 
they partook also of the Tuscarora language. 
Their dialects might, by long separation, have 
become so unlike as to be unintelligible to each 
other. We know, that in 1712, the Five Na- 
tions received the Tuscaroras in their confede- 
racy, and made them the Sixth Nation. All the 
nations of Indians in North America, lived in 
the hunter's state, and depended for subsistence 
on hunting, fishing, and the spontaneous fruits 
of the earth, and a kind of grain, which was 

Elanted and gathered by the women, and is now 
nown by the name of Indian corn. Long po- 
ll* 



126 



APPENDIX. 



tatoes, pumpkins, and squashes of various kinds 
were also found in use among them. They had 
no flocks, herds, or tamed animals of any kind. 
Their government a kind of patriarchal confede- 
racy. Every town or family has a chief, who is 
distinguished by a particular title, and whom we 
commonly call " Sachem," The several towns 
or families that compose the tribes have a chief 
who presides over it, and the several tribes com- 
posing a nation have a chief who presides over 
the whole nation. Those chiefs are generally 
men advanced in age, and distinguished for their 
prudence and abilities in council ; the matters 
which merely regard a town or family, are settled 
by the chief and principal men of the town, 
those which regard a tribe, such as the appoint- 
ment of head warriors or captains, and settling 
differences between tribes and families, are reg- 
ulated at a meeting of the chiefs from the differ- 
ent towns ; and those which regard the whole 
nation, such as making war, concluding peace, or 
forming alliances with the neighboring nations, 
are deliberated and determined in a national 
council, composed of the chiefs of the tribes, at- 
tended by their head warriors, and a number of 
chiefs from the towns, who are his counsellors. 
In every town, there is a council house, where 
the chiefs and men of the town assemble when 
occasion requires, and consult what is proper to 
be done. Every tribe has a fixed place for the 
chief of the towns to meet and consult on the. 



APPENDIX. 



127 



business of the tribe. And in every nation, 
there is what they call the central council house, 
or council fire, where the chiefs of the several 
tribes, with the principal warriors, convene to 
consult and determine on their national affairs. 
When any matter is proposed in the national 
council, it is common for the chiefs of the seve- 
ral tribes to consult thereon apart with their 
counsellors,and when they have agreed, to deliver 
the opinion of the tribe at the national council. 
And as their government seems to rest wholly 
on persuasion, they endeavor by mutual conces- 
sions to obtain unanimity. Such is the govern- 
ment that still exists among the Indian nations 
bordering on the United States. To the north- 
ward of these, there was another powerful nation, 
which occupied the country from the head of 
the Chesapeake Bay, up to the Kittatinny 
mountain, and as far eastward as Connecticut 
river, comprehending that part of New York, 
which lies between the Highlands and the ocean. 
All the State of New Jersey, that part of Penn- 
sylvania which is watered below the range of 
Kittatinny Mountains, by the rivers or streams 
falling into the Delaware, and the County of 
New Castle, in the State of Delaware as far as 
Duck Creek. It is to be observed that nations 
of Indians distinguish their countries one from 
another, by natural boundaries, such as ranges 
of mountains or streams of water. But as the 
heads of rivers frequently interlock or approach 



128 



APPENDIX. 



near to each other, as those who live upon a stream 
claim the country watered by it, they often en- 
croached on each other, and this was a constant 
source of war between the different nations. 

The nation occupying the tract of country 
last described, called themselves Lenapi, and 
among us they are better known as Delawares ; 
this nation consisted of five tribes, who all spoke 
one language ; first, the Chihohocki, who dwelt 
on the west side of the river, now called Dela- 
ware, a name given to it by Lord De-la-War, 
who put into it on his passage from Virginia, 
but which was called by the Indians, Chicho- 
hoeki. Second, the Wanami, who inhabited the 
country called New Jersey, from the Raritan to 
the sea. Third, the Munsey, who dwelt on the 
upper streams of the Delaware, from the Kitta- 
tinny mountains down to the Lehigh or western 
branch of the Delaware and Hudson rivers, from 
the Kittatinny down to the Raritan. Fifth, the 
Mahicon or Mahattan, who occupied Staten Isl- 
and, York Island, (which, from its being the prin- 
cipal seat of their residence, was formerly called 
Mahattan.) Long Island, and that part of N.York 
and Connecticut, which lies between Connecticut 
and Hudson rivers, from the highlands, which is 
a continuance of the Kittatinny ridge down to 
the sound. The nation had a close alliance 
with the Shawanese, who lived on the Susque- 
hanna and to the westward of that river, as far as 
the Alleghany mountains; and carried on a long 



APPENDIX. 



129 



war with another powerful nation of Indians, 
who lived to the north of them, between the 
Kittatinny mountains, or highlands, and Lake 
Ontario, and who call themselves Mingoes, and 
are called by the French writers, Iroquois, by 
the English, Five Nations, and by the Indians to 
the southward, with whom they were at war, 
Massawomics ; this war was carrying on in its 
greatest fury, when Captain Smith first arrived 
in Virginia. The Mingo warriors had pene- 
trated down the Susquehanna to the mouth of 
it. The Mingo nation consisted of five tribes ; 
three, who are called the Elder, to wit : the 
Senecas, who live to the west, the Mohawks, to 
the east, and the Onondagoes between them ; 
and two, who are called the younger tribes, 
namely, the Cayugas and Oneidas. All these 
tribes spoke one language, and were thus united 
in a close confederacy, and occupied that tract 
of country from the last end of Lake Erie to 
Lake Champlain, and from the Kittatinny and 
highlands to the Lake Ontario and the river 
St. Lawrence. This nation turned their arms 
against the Lenapi, and as this war was long 
and doubtful, they, in the course of it, not only 
exerted their whole force, but put in practice 
every measure which prudence or policy could 
devise to bring it to a successful issue. For 
this purpose they bent their course down the 
Susquehanna, warring with the Indians in their 
way, and having penetrated a3 far as the mouth 



130 



APPENDIX. 



of it, they, by the terror of their arms, engaged 
a nation, known by the name of the Nanticocks, 
Goneys and Lutetocs, and who lived between 
Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, and bordering 
on the territory of Chihohocki, to enter into an 
alliance with them ; they also formed an alliance 
with the Monahans, and stimulated them to 
war with the Lenapi, and their confederates. 
At the same time the Mohawks carried on a 
furious war down the Hudson against the Mo* 
hiecons and river Indians, and compelled them 
to purchase a temporary and precarious peace, 
by each acknowledging them to be their supe- 
riors, and paying an annual tribute. 

The Lenapi being surrounded with enemies 
and hard pressed, and having lost many of their 
warriors, were compelled at last to sue for peace, 
which was granted them on the condition that 
they should put themselves under the protection 
of the Mingoes, confine themselves to raising 
corn, hunting for the subsistence of their fami- 
lies, and no longer have the power of making 
war. 

This is what the Indians call making them 
women. Under this condition the Lenapis were 
when "William Penn first arrived, and began the 
settlement of Pennsylvania in the year 1682. 

In Sept. 1700, the Indians residing on the 
Susquehanna, granted to William Penn all their 
lands on both sides of the river. The Indians 
living on the Susquehanna and Potomac and 



APPENDIX. 



131 



the Shawanese, entered into articles of agreement 
with Win. Penn, by which, on certain conditions 
of peaceable and friendly behaviour, they were 
permitted to settle about the head of Potomac, 
in Pennsylvania. The Conestoga chiefs, also, 
in 1701, ratified the grant of the Susquehanna 
Indians made the preceding year of 1700. Win. 
Penn obtained from the Sachems of the country 
a confirmation of grants made by former Indians 
of the lands from Duck Creek to the mountains, 
and from the Delaware to the mountains, and 
from the Delaware to the Susquehanna; in this 
deed the Sachems declared that they had seen 
and heard read divers prior deeds which had 
been given to Wo. Penn by former chiefs. 

In the year 1672, Gov. Lovelace, of New 
York, by proclamation, ordered that four white 
grains or beads, and three black ones shall pass 
for a penny or stiver; this proclamation was 
published at Albany, Esopus, Delaware, Long 
Island, and at the ports adjacent; and that 
wampum was a passing medium of the country 
at that time. 

A treaty was entered into at the mouth of 
the Great Miami, between the United States and 
the Shawanese Nation, in the year 1786, by 
which the United States do allot them lands 
with their territory to live and hunt upon. Be- 
ginning at the south line of the lands allotted 
to the Wy an dots and Delawares, at the place 
where the main of the Great Miami and of the 



132 



APPENDIX. 



Ohio intersects said line, then down the Miami 
to the forks of that river below the old fort 
taken by the French in 1752, thence due west 
to the river De-la-Panse ; thence down that river 
to the Wabash, beyond which line none of the 
people or citizens of the United States shall 
settle or disturb the Shawanese in their settle- 
ment and possessions ; and the Shawanese do 
relinquish to the United States all title they 
ever had to lands, east, west, and south, of the 
east, west, and south of lines before described. 
Signed by G. Clark, Richard Butler, Saml. H. 
Parsons, and eight Indians, and witnessed by a 
number of Indians and whites. The Indian 
witnesses were of the Delaware and Wyandot 
nations ; Isaac Zane (a Wyandot), and the Crane 
of the Wyandots are among them." 

The first movement made by the Society of 
Friends of Baltimore Yearly Meeting for the 
benefit of the Indians, after the conclusion of 
the Revolutionary war, was commenced about 
one year subsequent to the treaty of G-renville ; 
whereby a peace had been concluded between 
the United States and the hostile tribes, north- 
west of the river Ohio. For many years those 
Indians had proved themselves to be the for- 
midable enemies of the white emigrants who 
settled near them, and of the armies of the 
United States, sent out to compel them to sub- 
mit to the occupation of a territory which they 
continued to regard as their own property. Hav- 



APPENDIX. 



133 



ing been greatly improved in warlike discipline^ 
and in the use of European firearms, by serving 
under the French commanders in former wars, 
they adhered to any pacific agreements no longer 
than their fears or their interests restrained 
them ; and rested in the determination never to 
abandon their lands northwest of the Ohio river. 
They had defeated General Harmer, with the 
loss of the greater part of his army, on the banks 
of the St. Joseph's river in 1791; and an ex- 
pedition sent against them shortly after, under 
the command of General St. Clair, was com- 
pletely routed. In this engagement the Little 
Turtle,* so often alluded to in the foregoing 
pages, was the commander-in-chief of the Indian 
forces, and displayed feelings of humanity to- 
wards his retreating foes, of which few exam- 
ples have been furnished in the history of Indian 
warfare, and which reflects honor on his cha- 
racter. 

On beholding the white soldiers fleeing before 
the exasperated Indians, and at every moment 
cut down by the weight of their tomahawks, his 
heart revolted at the sight, and ascending an 
eminence, he gave the singular cry, which com- 
manded his men to cease from further pursuit 
and return to their camps; he also sent out mes- 
sengers to inform them, wherever scattered, 
that " they must be satisfied with the carnage, 



Michikiniqua, was the Indian name of this chief, 
12 



134 APPENDIX. 

having killed enough." By this effort on his 
part many lives were spared. . . 

After this defeat, so unlocked for by the 
United States, General Wayne, who had suc- 
ceeded General St. Clair, arrived with his army 
upon the location where that officer had been 
defeated, in the 9th month, (Sept.) 1793, and 
immediately built Fort Wayne. The next year 
he brought the Indians to a decisive engage- 
ment in°the vicinity, in which they were over- 
thrown with great slaughter. This humiliation 
lessened their high estimate of their own strength 
and disposed them to peace, and a treaty was 
concluded between them and General Wayne, 
who acted as a commissioner of the United 
States, at Grenville, (1794), by winch the tribes 
northwest of the river Ohio, gave up the lands 
so long the object of contention, and accepting 
a reservation in the neighborhood of the Lakes, 
came under the protection of the United States, 
upon terms at that time considered mutually 
satisfactory and beneficial. 

The Little Turtle, who appears to have had a 
iust idea of the importance of the lands about 
to be ceded to our government, remained tor a 
long time inflexible, resolved upon procuring 
more favorable conditions. He was deeply at- 
tached to the country which had been his birth- 
place, and in common with all his brethren 
considered it belonged to the Indians by right 
of possession from the Great Spirit, who, they 



APPENDIX. 135 



believed, after he had made the earth, sun, 
moon and stars, had placed the red man on this 
continent, and bestowed it upon him and his 
children. He knew also, that the whole region 
around was made dear to them by every cher- 
ished remembrance ; their recollections ot the 
bappy abode of the red people therein for many 
generations before the coming of the white men 
to settle amongst them; as- connected also with 
the sports and pastimes of their youth, and with 
the enjoyments of their more manly pursuits in 
maturer years, and moreover as containing the 
graves and other monuments of their fathers. 
These recollections were all quickened and in- 
creased in importance by the knowledge that, in 
relinquishing the possession of this fine territory, 
thev yielded up forests filled with herds of deer, 
and other game which, by the addition of the 
fruits of their grounds, rich and fertile almost 
without precedent, gave them, even with their 
rude mode of tillage, an ample supply for their 
simple wants. He seemed also to be filled with 
apprehension, lest when settled within the con- 
fined boundaries, which were to be theirs by the 
conditions of the treaty, that his countrymen 
would be too slow in adopting the habits ot civil- 
ized life: and as the supply of wild animals must 
soon be exhausted, would suffer many privations 
in consequence of the change. As such were 
his feelings, can any thoughtful person be as- 
tonished at his resolutions ? 



136 



APPENDIX. 



Convinced at last, that no alternative awaited 
him, he consented to sign the compact, remark- 
ing to the officers present as he affixed his sig- 
nature, " I have been the last to consent to this 
agreement ; I will be the last to break it." He 
remained true to his affirmation. 

The following extracts are selected from a 
brief account of the Indian Committee of Balti- 
more Yearly Meeting, from its appointment in 
1795 to the completion of the journey to Fort 
Wayne, by G. T. Hopkins and George Ellicott, 
in 1804. 

The Yearly Meeting of Baltimore, and, also, 
that of Philadelphia, appear to have directed 
their attention almost simultaneously to an effort 
for the improvement of the Indians, and a com- 
mittee was accordingly appointed in each of 
these Yearly Meetings, in the autumn of 1795, 
to take the subject under care. 

" In Baltimore Yearly Meeting, held by ad- 
journments, from the 12th day of the Tenth 
month to the 16th of the same, inclusive, 1795, 
Evan Thomas being clerk, and John Cox assist- 
ant clerk, the exercise with regard to the In- 
dians commenced by a weighty concern being 
opened, concerning the difficulties and distress 
to which the Indian natives of this land are sub- 
ject; and many observations were made Gn the 
kindness of their ancestors to the white people, 
in the early settlement of this country 3 exciting 
a deep consideration and enquiry, whether under 



APPENDIX, 



137 



the influence of that exalted benevolence and 
good will to men, (which our holy profession re- 
quires,) anything remains for us to do to pro- 
mote their welfare, their religious instruction, 
knowledge of agriculture, and the useful me- 
chanic arts. A solemnity and uniting calm 
prevailing over the meeting, the further consid- 
eration of the subject was referred to another 
meeting, when the condition of the distressed 
Indian natives being again revived, the senti- 
ments of many brethren expressed, and a pre- 
vailing sympathy felt, it appears to be the united 
sense of this meeting, that it be recommended 
to our Quarterly and Monthly Meetings to take 
this concern into serious consideration, and open 
subscriptions among our members for their relief 
and the encouragement of school education, hus- 
bandry, and the mechanic arts, amongst that 
people. As it appears their situation demands 
immediate attention, we hope a spirit of liber- 
ality will be manifested ; * and those who find 

* This call of Baltimore Yearly Meeting upon 
its members was promptly met, But the sums of 
money, thus collected, do not appear to have been 
often used to defray the travelling expenses of the 
Friends appointed by the Indian Committee to visit 
the tribes North-west of the river Ohio. Those who 
accepted such commissions prepared their own out- 
fit and defrayed their own charges, except in one. 
two, or at the most, three instances, where such an 
expenditure would have been oppressive to the indi- 
viduals concerned, on which occasions the necessary 
funds were supplied by the committee. 



138 



APPENDIX. 



freedom to subscribe, are desired to put their 
contributions into the hands of the following 
Friends, who are appointed to receive and 
apply the same, in such manner as will best 
answer the benevolent designs of this meeting, 
carefully guarding against giving offence to gov- 
ernment viz : — 

John Wilson, 'Joseph Bond, 

John M'Kim, Joseph Beeson, 

John Branen, John Butcher, 



Jonathan Wright, of Moses Dillon, 

Monallen, Elias Ellicott, 

Thomas Matthews, Nathan Heald, 



The Friends above named composed the first 
Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting for In- 
dian Affairs, and their appointment was wit- 
nessed by " John Wigam, a minister from North 
Britain, who attended with a certificate from 
Aberdeen Monthly Meeting, dated 17th of 
Fourth month, 1794, and endorsed by the Half- 
year's Meeting, held at Edinburgh, 28th of 
same month; aod, also, a certificate from the 
Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, held in 
London, dated 17th of Fifth month, 1794, all 



Evan Thomas, 
Allan Farquhar, 
John Love, 
Caleb Kirk, 



Benjamin Walker, 
Israel J anney. 
David Branen, 
Gouldsmith Chandlee, 



David Greane. 



APPENDIX. 



139 



expressive of the unity of the Friends of those 
meetings in his visit to these parts." 

Deborah Darby and Rebecca Young also 
produced certificates to the Yearly Meeting at 
the same time, both from the " Monthly Meet- 
ing held at Coalbrookdale, in Shropshire, En- 
gland, dated the 20th of Third month, 1793, 
endorsed by the Yearly Meeting for Wales, held 
at Hermarthan, the 25th of Fourth month, 1793. 
Also certificates from the Yearly Meeting of 
Ministers and Elders, held in London, the 18th 
20th, 23d and 29th of Fifth month, 1793/' 
The company and labors of love of these 
Friends from Great Britain, are acknowledged 
to have been satisfactory to Baltimore Yearly 
Meeting. * They were partakers with them in 
their exercises for the advancement of truth 
and righteousness ; and sympathized in all their 
concerns. 

The first important meeting of the Indian 
Committee was held at Pipe creek, (where the 
Meeting for Sufferings of Baltimore Yearly Meet- 
ing then frequently convened,) the 22d of the 
Fifth month, 1796; ten members being present. 
The meeting was opened by the expression of a 



* The records of Baltimore Yearly Meeting for 1796, 
contain minutes, almost precisely similar to those 
given above, of the appointment of the Indian Com- 
mittee, and the presence of the Friends from Great 
Britain at the time. 



140 



APPENDIX. 



desire, by one of the committee, that every mem- 
ber of the Society of Friends would be willing 
to give sanction to the benevolent experiment 
recommended by the Yearly Meeting ; a senti- 
ment which was united with by all present. 
These good resolutions were much strengthened 
and encouraged by a letter they then opened 
and read, from the Indian Committee of Philadel- 
phia, dated Third month 24th, 1796, * which 
set forth " that they had addressed their Quar- 
terly and Monthly Meetings, and, also, Particular 
Meetings, on the sufferings of the Indians, and 
had sent them, with the minutes from Philadel- 
phia Yearly Meetings, extracts from divers 
speeches and letters from Indian Chiefs; all 
tending to spread useful information, and draw 
the attention of our members to the situation 
of these distressed people;" some of them had 
also visited the President of the United States, 
George Washington, (at the time in Philadel- 
phia.) and acquainted him with the views of our 
religious Society, on behalf of the Indians. They 
had C also, conferred with the Secretary of State, 
who' had manifested a desire to co-operate with 
the Friends, in promoting the interests of the In- 
dians. They had addressed a circular letter " to 



* Rebecca Jones, in a letter to a son of Catherine 
Phillips, of England, dated in the autumn of 179o, 
mentions the appointment of the Philadelphia Com- 
mittee for Indian Affairs. 



APPENDIX. 



141 



the different tribes of those called the Six Na- 
tions/ 7 representing a desire " to assist them in 
attaining a more comfortable, quiet, and peacea- 
ble mode of life/ 7 and expressed an opinion 
that the distresses and difficulties the Indians 
labor under may, in a great degree, be attributed 
to their propensity to the use of spirituous 
liquors, introduced among them by traders and 
evil-minded persons, and suggested a plan by 
which the trade in liquors might be checked in 
part, if not fully. They conclude : — " As, in 
our attention to this concern, anything shall 
arise that may be deemed useful and proper to 
communicate, we mean to impart the same, de- 
siring like care may rest with you, that what 
may occur useful herein may be intimated to 
your loving friends/ 7 

Addressed to John Brown, Elias Ellicott, 
John M 7 Kim, and others, Members of the Com- 
mittee of the Yearly Meeting of Maryland, on 
the Indian Concern, &c. 
Signed by 

John Parrish, William Savery,. 

Henry Drinker, John Hunt, 

Benjamin Sweet, John Pierce, 



Any communication to the Philadelphia Com- 
mittee on Indian Concerns, was to be addressed 



Warner Mifflin, 
Thomas Harrison 



John Biddle, 
Joseph Sanson^. 



John Elliott. 



142 



APPENDIX. 



to Thomas Wistar, Clerk of the Committee, who 
had authority to call a meeting of their Sub- 
Committee of fifteen Friends, on "necessary 
occasions/' 

The committee remained two days in session 
at Pipe Creek, deliberated on their benevolent 
purposes, addressed a reply to their Friends. 
John Parrish and others, in Philadelphia, 
through Thomas Wistar, and "appointed John 
Brown, Jonathan Wright, Israel Janney, Moses 
Dillon, and Joseph Bond, to pay a visit to tht 
Delawares, Shawanese, Wyandots, and other 
nations northwest of the river Ohio, or to suet 
parts of them as they shall find freedom ; appro- 
bation of the government being first obtained.'' 
They also addressed a letter to the Indians to 
whom they were about to send a mission, in 
which they informed them that the Quakers, 
at their general religious council in Philadel- 
phia, having agreed to take some of the " Six 
Nations, who live in the North, by the hand, 
our religious council held last fall in Baltimore 
were also concerned for your welfare who reside 
in the West." 

"They have told us to endeavor to speak 
with you and get acquainted with your nations?. 
For this purpose we have sent our beloved bro- 
thers, John Brown, Israel Janney, Jonathan 
Wright, Moses Dillon, and Joseph Bond, to 
shake hands with you in your tent, and to ask 
if you wish to be instructed how to raise corn 



APPENDIX. 



143 



and wheat for bread, on your own land, as we do ; 
and to get meat at home without hunting, and 
to weave blankets and clothes for yourselves, 
your wives, and your children; and also to en- 
quire whether you wish to have your children 
taught to read and write, and to do such other 
things as will make you live comfortably under 
the shade of the great tree of peace. We wish you 
to speak to us freely with the mouths of your na- 
tions, and if it is agreeable to you we will talk to 
you again. Farewell. 

" Signed on behalf of our aforesaid Religious 
Council of the people called Quakers, the 23d 
of 5th month, 1796, by 

Allen Farquhar, 
Benjamin Walker, 
David Brown, 
Elias Ellicott, 
Caleb Kirk." 

Previous to the departure of this delegation to 
the Indian settlements, they were furnished 
with permission for the purpose " by the 
United States government, expressed in two let- 
ters from the Secretary of State, and addressed 
to Governor St. Clair, and to General Wayne, 
being as follows. 

Department of State, 
Philadelphia, May olst, 1796. 

u g IR? — M r> Henry Drinker of this city, whose 
respectable standing among the Society of 



144 



APPENDIX. 



Friends, and as our fellow citizen, you well know, 
has informed me, that a delegation of five pru- 
dent, judicious men, of religious character, have 
been deputed by their brethren of that Society 
in Maryland to visit the Indian Tribes N. West 
of the river Ohio, for the purpose of learning 
their situation and disposition, and thence to 
judge of the practicability of introducing among 
them the simplest and most useful arts of civil 
life. The result of their inquiries and observa- 
tions they are to report on their return to the 
Society. 

The approbation of the President has been 
asked and obtained. The object of this letter 
is to communicate the same to you, and request 
of you to afford the delegation all the protection 
and countenance to which their respectable char- 
acters and philanthropic views entitle them. 
Most of the attempts at civilizing the Indians, 
which I have heard of, have been preposterous. 
We have aimed at teaching them religion and 
the science's, before we have taught them the 
simple and essential labors of civil life. 

I am very respectfully your most obedient 
eervant, Tim. Pickering." 

The delegation proceeded to the Indian coun- 
try, but found the chiefs, the hunters and war- 
riors of the tribes with whom they desired to 
confer, much dispersed over the country, engaged 
in their various pursuits, and consequently were 



APPENDIX 



145 



unable to hold any communication with them 
collectively ; under this disappointment they 
made their report to the Committee on Indian 
Affairs. 

During the next Baltimore Yearly Meeting, 
the Indian Committee suggested, (in a report 
they made to that body, in which they alluded 
to the inability of their late mission to obtain an 
interview with the tribes whose improvement 
and preservation they desired,) u that if a notice 
of the intention of Friends was intimated to the 
Indians in a suitable manner, and they were re- 
quested to fix a time and place of meeting, a 
satisfactory conference might be obtained ; as 
the disposition of such of them as they had had 
an opportunity of conversing with appeared fa- 
vorable. " 

The report was dated 10th mo. 13th, 1796, 
and signed by Evan Thomas, 

John Wilson. 

On the 15th of 10th month, 1796, the Com- 
mittee on Indian Affairs was officially informed 
that the Yearly Meeting had made an addition 
to that Committee, by the appointment of Reese 
Cadwallader, Thomas Farquhar, Joel Wright, 
James Mendenhall, George Ellicott, and James 
M'Grew. 

At the next meeting Joel Wright was ap- 
pointed Clerk of the Committee, and no busi- 
ness presenting, adjourned. 

13* 



146 



APPENDIX. 



At a meeting of the Indian Committee, held 
at Pipe Creek the 20th of 5th month, 1797, im- 
mediately after the conclusion of the Meeting 
for Sufferings, which convened at that place, a 
very serious consideration of the important 
charge entrusted to them impressed the minds 
of the Friends in attendance, and " Joel Wright 
expressed a willingness, if provided with suita- 
ble company to undertake a journey to the N. 
West of the river Ohio, for the purpose of fur- 
nishing the Committee with more full informa- 
tion respecting the situation and disposition of 
the Indians." The Committee approved his 
proposal, and he was left at liberty to make the 
journey. 

The Committee on Indian Affairs met again 
on the 7 th of Tenth month, 1797, and received 
a most interesting account from Joel Wright 
and the companions of his journey,— Reese Cad- 
waliader and David Greaves,— of their visit to 
the Indian country, dated the 15th of Ninth 
month, 1797, from which communication the 
following extract was copied :* 

"In the course of this journey, after having 
visited a number of Indian hunting camps and 
several of their towns, we had a large oppor- 

*Oaa recent examination of the Records of the 
Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, in 
o-der to test the correctness of the abridgment now 
published, the incidents, dates and names werexound 
to be exactly similar. 



APPENDIX. 



147 



tunity to discover their present situation ; often 
exposed to the inclemency of the seasons, with 
a very precarious and frequently a scanty sup- 
ply of food and clothing. From the knowledge 
we have obtained of the extensive and valuable 
country they have lately given up to the United 
States, and of the narrow strip of land yet re- 
served for their own use, between the line of 
the American garrisons and from Detroit to the 
mouth of the Kentucky river, we were im- 
pressed with a belief that the Wyandots, Shawa- 
nese and Delawares who dwell there, will, unless 
they alter their present mode of living, be re- 
duced, in a few years, from the scarcity of game, 
to a state of extreme want and distress/' 

At the upper end of Sandusky Town, they 
held a council with two of the principal chiefs 
of the Wyandot nation and several of their 
former warriors and young men, when Isaac 
Zane interpreted to them the address prepared 
by the Friends of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. 
He also interpreted the reply of one of the 
Chiefs, which was brief but friendly. 

They found that " the Wyandots were the 
principal nation ; that everything of importance 
must be transacted in their council ; they can 
transact business by themselves, but the Dela- 
wares and Shawanese have to apply to them when 
any business of consequence is laid before their 
people." 

This reply of the Indians, was presented to 



148 



APPENDIX. 



Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends with the 
Report of the Committee on Indian Concerns, 
and was published in the newspapers of the day. 

Afterwards, at a meeting of the Indian Com- 
mittee in Baltimore, the 16th of Eighth month, 
1798, they received a letter from John Hecke- 
welder, agent for the Moravian Society, repre- 
senting the distressed condition of the Indians 
under °his care, in consequence of their having 
been driven from their settlement on the Mus- 
kingum river, during the late war, and were 
now returning thereto in want of provisions and 
necessary implements of husbandry ; whereupon 
Reese Cadwallader, Nathan Heald and Joel 
Wright were appointed " to inspect into the 
circumstances of those Indians, with liberty, if 
they shall believe it necessary, to afford them 
some assistance by furnishing them with such 
articles as they may be in immediate want of." 
This delegation reported to the Indian Commit- 
tee, at a meeting held in Baltimore the 2d of 
Fourth month, 1799, in a communication bear- 
ing date, Redstone, Twelfth month 21st, 1798, 
and signed by Reese Cadwallader and Joel 
Wright. They had proceeded on their mission 
as far as Georgetown on the Ohio, sixty-five 
miles from Redstone, but ascertaining that John 
Heckewelder had lately gone to Bethlehem, and 
had procured the Indians under his charge a 
supply of provisions for the winter before his 
departure, and that the principal Indians of the 



APPENDIX. 



119 



settlement were then dispersed, and at their 
hunting camps (no date given), they turned 
their attention to eight or ten families of other 
Indians of the Tuscaroras, who were very de- 
sirous of being instructed in farming, but were 
without agricultural implements, and were also 
in want of provisions ; these they would have 
visited, in order to meet their " active men/' 
who had invited them to an interview, but were 
prevented from doing so by the situation of the 
Ohio river, which was in flood, with vast masses 
of ice passing down it. They, however, left a 
supply for their relief with Thomas Smith, who 
lived near Georgetown, and also engaged a black- 
smith to make them some farming utensils. 
Reese Cadwallader and Joel Wright, from all 
they had heard and seen on their journey, be- 
lieved it would be right for the Indian Com- 
mittee to send a deputation to the General 
Council of the Indians to be held the next 
spring. 

The Committee on Indian Concerns met again 
on the 23d of Third month, 1799, being a spe- 
cial meeting; when a letter from Thomas Wistar, 
and a speech from the principal chief of the Wyan- 
dot nation, called Tarhie (the Crane), was read* 
This chief, in his speech, which was delivered at 
Detroit on behalf of the whole Wyandot nation, 
on the 8th day of September, 1798, reminds 
the Friends that they once met the Indians at 
a certain place " where a great many good things 



150 APPENDIX. 



were said and much friendship professed between 
them ; that they had no place of security for 
-heir speeches, as their white brethren had and 
-hat their belts of wampum were their only re- 
cords;" and adds. ' ; but. if you examine your 
boohs and papers, you will there find written all 
-hat passed between your forefathers and ours. 
He speaks further of a « belt of wampum given 
to us bv Your forefathers, with a piece of parch- 
ment affixed thereto ; when you see the belt ot 
wampum and read the writing on the parch- 
ment", you no doubt will then perfectly know us. 
and will consider us as brethren united by a chain 
)f friendship which can never he broken whilst 
memory lasts." He informed the Friends that 
he understood some of them wished to pay his 
ppople a visit, and adds, « We are much pleased 
to hear that you still hold us in remembrance. 

The letter of Thomas Wistar* clerk of the 
Committee on Indian Concerns in Philadelphia, 
was dated 27th of Second month 1799, and 
states that "the Miami nation had made a re- 
quest Of their Committee for some Friends to 
lettle amongst them, and a speech from the 
Delaware* left no doubt that a sim.lar request 

* Notwithstanding friendly relations continued eve: 
rfte S b maintained between the Indian Committee 
Tf Philadelphia and that of Baltimore, the mann- 

nrinT have overlooked furnish no account of fur- 
:Ter P o respondence between them, until some vears 

rfter the date of this letter of Thomas Wis tar. 



APPENDIX. 



151 



would be made from them;" that they had 
proceeded no further than to furnish the Mi- 
ami's with two ploughs, a harrow, gears and 
other articles, but had no prospect of making 
an early settlement amongst them. Thomas 
Wistar mentions that he was informed by 
Jonathan Shefflin that the Wyandot speech 
was "in answer to a few lines left (and signed 
by two or three Friends) at their village," and 
supposes "it must have been the Friends of 
your Committee who were in that country, as 
from us none have been sent as yet amongst 
the nations west of the River Ohio." He con- 
cludes with the following caution to the Balti- 
more Committee : " We are aware that Indians 
very generally take as promises what may be 
suggested to them for their consideration, as 
probable to take place, if they unite with it ; 
we have of late been very guarded in our com- 
munications with them, as the more we become 
acquainted with the Indian character the greater 
necessity we perceive for it." 

On considering the speech of the Wyandot 
chief, the Baltimore Committee on Indian Con- 
cerns made an enlargement on their former ap- 
pointment by the addition of Evan Thomas and 
George Ellicott, who were directed to co-operate 
with Reese Cadwallader, Joel Wright and Na- 
than Heald. They were desired to endeavor 
to visit those Indians in order to cultivate their 
friendship, and, if way should open, to offer 
them assistance. 



152 



APPENDIX. 



A reply was also written and forwarded to 
the Indian Committee of Philadelphia Yearly 
Meeting in part as follows : 

« Bear Friends, — The correspondence has, 
on our part, been suspended till the account 
should be received from the Western Indians, 
which is now communicated by you; they pro- 
bably conceiving that Friends, wherever situ- 
ated, act as one body united. As the Friends 
of Pennsylvania have had a correspondence with 
them at times, from the first settlement of the 
country, and as they, in their present address, 
have alluded to former transactions, it seems 
the more necessary for us to apply to you for 
information on that head. We have been aware 
of our own inability at present to do any great 
matters, and have endeavored to guard against 
raising their expectations. A speech was some 
time ago communicated to some of the chiefs 
of the Wyandot nation, at the Upper Sandusky, 
with a view to inform them that we were de- 
sirous of turning their minds to some of the 
most simple arts of civil life ; and we wished 
to know of them whether it would be agreeable 
to them to make such a movement. They in- 
formed us that they would lay the subject be- 
fore their council and return an answer. A 
copy of the speech was left with them addressed 
to the chiefs of the Wyandot, Shawanese and 
Delaware nations, and of which we herewith 
hand you a copy also. 



APPENDIX. 



153 



u We sLould have "been pleased with the re- 
ception of the original speech of the Wyandot 
Chiefs and the belt of wampum they speak of, 
with a copy of that from the Delawares and 
Miamis, the latter being, we suppose, of the 
Shawanese nation. Five of our number are ap- 
pointed to attend at Sandusky at the time of 
the great Indian Council, of which you will 
please inform the Superintendent,* and com- 
municate such further information on the sub- 
ject as you may conceive to be necessary. We 
also suggest the propriety and usefulness of 
your appointing a few Friends to unite in the 
visit, since the prudent conducting of the mat- 
ter may be of great importance. 

"As you are better acquainted than we are 
with the mode of conducting business with the 
Indians, if you think a belt of wampum will be 
necessary on our part, you will please to pro- 
cure one for us suitable for the purpose, to be 
forwarded with the original speech and belt 
received by you, and we will remit the amount 
so soon as you advise us thereof. 

" Signed on behalf of the Indian Committee 
of Baltimore, by 

" Joel Wright, Clerk. 
" Baltimore, Third month 24tb, 1*799." 



* The seat of Government of the United States had 
not then been removed to the City of Washington. 
The Superintendent resided in Philadelphia. 
14 



154 



APPENDIX. 



The deputation left their homes on the 7th of 
5th mo. 1799, on horse-back and with pack 
horses to carry a tent, provisions for the jour- 
ney which would be necessary after leaving the 
settlements of Friends in Ohio, and useful pres- 
ents to the Indians. It may be as well to men- 
tion at this point, as the subject has not been al- 
luded to before in this Appendix, that of all the 
missions we have referred to as sent out by the 
Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, 
the Friends engaged in them travelled on horse- 
back, and experienced privations which in this 
day of railroads and telegraphs cannot be appre- 
ciated. Valuable gifts for their Red brethren, 
their wives, and children, were never omitted on 
these occasions. 

At the next meeting of the Indian Commit- 
tee, which was held in Baltimore, the 15th and 
16th of 10th month, 1799, the Friends who had 
been appointed to visit the Indians made their 
report, viz : " Pursuant to our appointment we 
sat out on a visit to the Indians, the 7th of 5th 
month last, and arrived the 3d of the next 
month at Upper Sandusky, the principal village 
of the Wyandots; we were met there by a 
friendly reception from Tarhie, (the Crane,) the 
head chief, and others of the nation who hap- 
pened to be at the village." 

On conferring with them they found that a 
mistake in translating their language had led to 
a misunderstanding respecting the time of hold- 



APPENDIX. 



155 



ing the Grand Indian Council, which they now 
understood began every year at the full moon, 
in the 6th month ; they were, therefore, too 
early in their visit, and with the impossibility 
of collecting the other Indians who would not 
be likely to assemble until the council, they 
concluded to hold a conference with Tarhie and 
the other chiefs then at Sandusky, in his house; 
and had a free conference with them on the sub- 
ject of their visit. Their communication was 
kindly received, and an answer delivered on 
four strings of wampum, expressive of their 
gratitude for the care and friendship of the 
Quakers;* and as soon as the Grand Council 
met, they would communicate to it the concern 
the Friends now felt for their improvement, and 
inform us by a written speech of their conclu- 
sion thereon/' 

They conclude their report by remarking : 
"While we were at Sandusky and in other In- 



*Tarhie continued ever after to devote himself to 
the improvement of his people, and lived to be the 
oldest Indian in the West. He had signed a treaty 
between the United States and the Indians as early 
as 1786, and although obliged by his warriors to take 
part in the revolt which soon after took place, and 
in the battles subsequently fought, he appears to 
have been the first to persuade the Indians to make 
a virtue of necessity, to "bury the hatchet," and 
yield to the superior power of the white men. He 
was cruelly executed by the order of Tecumseh, in 
1810.. 



156 APPENDIX. 

dian villages, our minds were often deeply af- 
fected under the sorrowful consideration of the 
baneful effect of spirituous liquors on them, being 
abundantly supplied with it in almost every vil- 
lage by Canadian traders residing among them; 
and we are confirmed in the opinion, that unless 
the traders can be restrained from furnishing 
them with this destructive article, m exchange 
for their skins and furs, they will not easily be 
persuaded to turn their minds towards agricul- 
ture and the useful arts. At the same time, we 
have no doubt that these unprincipled men will 
make use of the great influence they have over 
the Indians to keep them in their present mode 
of living, as most conducive to their own in- 
terests. Notwithstanding this cause of dis- 
couragement, the great affection which the In- 
dians have always manifested' for our Society, 
induces us to desire that Friends may endeavor 
to keep under the weight of the concern, and 
be prepared to proceed in the benevolent work 
before them, whenever the way may open tor 
service among them. 
Signed by 

Evan Thomas, 
Joel Wright, 
Eeese Cadwalader, 
George Ellicott. 
Dated Monongahela, 6th mo. 26th, 1779. 

In the manuscript journal of George Ellicott to 



APPENDIX. 



157 



the Plains of Sandusky, the following relation of 
the interview between the Friends and the 
Wyandot Chiefs is preserved : 

u After Evan Thomas had concluded his dis- 
course, which was delivered by paragraphs 
through an interpreter^ Tarhie, (the Crane,) the 
principal chief, took into his hand four strings 
of wampum, and began his speech. As he 
proceeded, he continually kept the strings of 
wampum moving, and spoke in a methodical 
way, and with the force and manner of an orator. 
I make no doubt, if the interpreter had been 
able to do justice to the sentiments expressed, 
we should have pronounced a verdict highly in 
favor of the eloquence of this son of the forest. 

After he had finished his speech, he desired 
his wife (who occupied an apartment above the 
council room, so situated that she could hear 
what passed), to hand down to him the papers, 
which he had ; which she did. We read them, 
and found among them Wayne's treaty, and a 
long paper containing much good advice from the 
Secretary of War. 

When the Indians hold a council, they have 
some of their principal women placed in a little 
room, either adjoining or overhead, where they 
can hear perfectly all that passes. This they 
treasure up in their minds, and as they are apt 
to have retentive memories, their traditions are 
faithfully preserved." 

The manuscripts in my possession furnish no 
14* 



158 



APPENDIX, 



record of the proceedings of the Indian Com- 
mittee, from the reception of this report to the 
17th of 4th month, 1801, when an account is 
criven of a meeting, at which a committee was 
appointed to draft a letter to Tarhie, Buck- 
ingehelas, and other chiefs of the Wyandot and 
Delaware nations of Indians, in return for a let- 
ter and speech which had been received from 
them, which did not contain a full reply to the 
proposition made to the Indians in 1799. The 
committee supposed their communication had 
not been faithfully translated, and again inquired 
of their Red brethren : " Are you willing to 
have your children instructed at home, on your 
own lands, how to raise plenty of corn, to make 
clothes, and to build houses ; to keep your old 
men your women and children warm when the 
weather is cold ; and that you may not suffer 
from want when the game gets scarce m your 
country ?" 

Signed by 

George Ellicott, 
Joel Wright, 
Israel Janney, 

GOULDSMITH ChANDLEE. 

Dated Baltimore, Uh month Vlth 9 1801. 

At their next meeting the Indian Committee 
of Baltimore was informed by a communication 
from Joel Wright, that nothing had been re- 
ceived from the Indians since the last meeting, 
and no business was transacted. 



APPENDIX. 



159 



The next meeting of the committee was a 
special one, and held at Pike Creek, the 24th of 
the 5th month, 1802. This meeting was called 
in consequence of a part of the committee hav- 
ing had a conference with a number of Indian 
chiefs in Baltimore. The chiefs were on their 
way to Washington, the seat of Government, 
and were waited on at their lodgings, the 
Fountain Inn, Light Street, by the members of 
the Indian Committee of Baltimore and Ellicott's 
Mills, to confer with them on subjects of deep im- 
portance to their Red brethren, viz : the introduc- 
tion into their tribes of some of the arts of civil- 
ized life, and to remonstrate against the use of 
spirituous liquors. The Baltimore members pre- 
sented to the General Indian Committee the 
whole account of their conference, and the 
memorial they had presented to Congress 
against the introduction of spirituous liquors 
into the Indian settlements. As the account of 
the conference was published in several of the 
newspapers, I give the following extract from one 
of them : 

" The editors having obtained a genuine copy 
of the proceedings of the committee appointed 
by the Yearly Meeting of the respectable So- 
ciety of Friends, in two conferences with the 
Indian Chiefs from the banks of the Wabash, 
Lake Erie, and Lake Michigan, being from the 
Pottowattomy, Miami, Delaware, Shawanese, 
Weas, Eel River, Piankashaw, Kickapoo 



160 



APPENDIX. 



and Kaskaskia tribes of Indians, who lately 
passed through this city on their way to the 
Federal Government, feel no small degree of 
pleasure in having it in their power to gratify 
an inquisitive public with the interesting con- 
tents/' 

Besides the members of the Society of Friends, 
many respectable persons of different religious 
persuasions were present, and the communica- 
tions were taken down with accuracy by Gerard 
T. Hopkins, a stenographer of great ability. 
William Wells, agent for the United States 
amongst the Indians North-west of the Ohio, 
was the interpreter. He was a native of Ken- 
tucky, and had been taken captive by the 
Miamis when only eight years of age,— had 
afterwards been adopted by one of the chiefs, 
and continued to reside amongst them. On this 
occasion he had attained his thirty-fifth year, 
and being possessed of good talents, not only 
spoke the language of the Tribes represented by 
the Little Turtle, the Five Medals, and other 
Indians present, but also the English language 
with fluency, and wrote well. 

On the first interview of the committee with 
the Chiefs, which was on the 26th of the 12th 
month, 1801, the exercises commenced by the 
following short, but expressive address from 
Elisha Tyson, in whose house the Indian Delega- 
tion, the Indian Committee and their friends, were 
convened; he was not at the time a member of ' 



APPENDIX. 



the committee, but was interested in all philan- 
thropic movements. 

" Brothers and Friends : I am desirous in the 
early part of this opportunity, that you may be 
informed, that the people called Quakers con- 
sider all mankind as their brothers : that they 
believe the Great Spirit and Father of all man- 
kind created all men of one blood ; and that it 
is the will of Him, who also created the sun, 
the moon, and the stars, and causes them to give 
us light, — the Great Spirit and common Father 
of all mankind --that we should not do one another 
hurt, but that we should do one another all the 
good we can ; and it is on this ground, and this 
principle, that we believe it right to take you by 
the hand!" 

Then after a short time spent in silence, an- 
other member of the Society of Friends, John 
M'Kim, spoke, declaring " that the Quakers be- 
lieved it required of them to love all men, 
without reference to location or complexion; 
that they were convinced it was not in their 
power to perform their religious duties to the 
Great Creator of all things without his assistance, 
and therefore felt it their duty, when entering 
upon such important business as that in which 
they were about to engage, to sit down in 
stillness and wait upon Him." After some- 
thing more on this subject, and a reference to 
the Yearly Meetings of Philadelphia and Balti- 
more, he proceeded to say that " the Friends re- 



162 



APPENDIX. 



membered the friendship which had subsisted 
between their Society and the Indians, from 
their first settlement in America ; and recollect- 
ing that the Western country was fast filling up 
with white people, and that game would_ ne- 
cessarily become scarce, they feared the Indians 
would be brought into a state of suffering. 
That, in consequence of the long wars that had 
subsisted between them and some of the white 
people, the Friends for a long time had not had 
an opportunity of taking them by the hand. 
That so soon as an opportunity had presented, 
after a peace was effected, a concern had arisen 
in their council, and several Friends were ap- 
pointed to go out into the wilderness and have a 
talk with them. He then called upon the 
Friend who sat at his right hand, Evan Thomas, 
who had been one of the mission to the Plains 
of Sandusky, to give an account of the move- 
ment in this concern. Evan Thomas then gave 
a very concise relation of the journey, and the 
conference with the Wyandot Chiefs, (which 
has been before alluded to, and of which a 
narrative was published some years since by 
Philip E. Thomas,) and proceeded to inform the 
deputation that the Friends had received no re- 
sponse to the proposals then made to the In- 
dians ; but a belt of wampum and a speech had 
been sent them from a council held at Detroit, 
and an invitation to attend their General Coun- 
cil. After he had concluded, another member 



APPENDIX. 



163 



of the Indian Committee/ George Ellicott, ad- 
dressed the chiefs as follows : 

" Brothers and Friends: We were glad when 
we heard that some of our Red brethren were 
coming to this city, and felt our minds drawn 
to take them by the hand, and have an oppor- 
tunity of knowing them. As we have not been 
made acquainted with their circumstances, we 
have not been able to judge whether any thing 
we have had to propose to do for them would be 
accepted? Whether they are really under the 
necessity of applying to some other mode of 
living to obtain a livelihood, and whether game in 
their country is yet plenty ? We have thought, 
brothers, that if it should not yet be the case, 
that game is scarce, at the present time, it will 
probably be the case in some future time ; and. 
therefore, we have thought it would be best for 
our Red brethren to give some attention to the 
cultivation of the soil. This is one of the subjects 
which has claimed our attention ; and as we feel 
in our hearts that we love the Indians and desire 
their welfare, we wish to turn their attention to the 
subject; we also believe, brothers, that we 
derive a very great advantage from reading 
books which contain instruction, we wish that 
our brethren, the Indians, should partake of the 
same means of instruction with ourselves. We 
wish you to let us know with candor, whether 
you desire these things, and if you do so, that 
we may do for you whatever may be in our 
power." 



164 



APPENDIX. 



After a short pause, the Little Turtle inquired 
if the Friends had any thing more to say, and 
being told that we were all willing to listen to 
him, he rose up and said : 

-Brothers and Friends: My heart returns 
thanks to the Great Spirit above, that has put it 
in our rower to spesk to each other. My 
brother chiefs and myself are glad that our 
Friends end brothers, the Quakers, have such 
great compassion for their Red brethren/' He 
Then ppoke of the belief of the Indians, " in 
me Great Creator of all the men upon the 
earth, and who were made when the earth, the 
^un moon and stars were also made, to be useful 
to them and ?ive them light." After referring 
to the desire of the Friends to benefit the In- 
dians, and their need of that assistance, he 
added: "You have been kept in the straight 
path by the Great and Good Spirit. ^e 
have been led astray by inferior spirits : we 
now hope that we may come upon your track, 
and follow it." He then said " the long and 
destructive wars that have raged in the country 
of our Red brethren, since your fathers first 
came amongst them, have caused their numbers 
to be greatly diminished. Those that have come 
among us, liave verv much cheated and imposed 
upon us. ' Thev found us simple and ignorant, 
and have taken great care to keep every thing 
from us. in order to profit by our ignorance. 
« Friends and Brothers,— We find you are now 



APPENDIX. 



165 



disposed, with open arms to receive us, and we 
hope the Great Spirit will assist you, together 
with the Great Chief of the "White People, to 
whom we are about to apply for help. 

" Brothers and Friends,— At the Treaty of 
Grenville, which is now a little past six years, 
we received some presents by the hand of the 
Great War Chief of the Americans (General 
Wayne)— said to be sent to us by our brothers 
the Quakers. After this Treaty I was invited 
by the Great War Chief of the Americans to 
visit them. It is now four years since I visit- 
ed them in Philadelphia, whilst the Great Coun- 
cil was held in that city. I had there an oppor- 
tunity to see our brothers the Quakers, and re- 
ceived from their mouths some of their talks : 
all these talks I wrapped up in my heart, and 
when I returned home to my brothers I told 
them all those good things which you had told 
us you were desirous to do for us." 

u Brothers and Friends,- — I am happy to say 
that these my Red Brothers now present with 
me are Chiefs, who in their own country are 
equally great with myself ; they were rejoiced to 
hear your words delivered to them through me 
four years ago ; and they are equally glad with 
myself to hear from the mouths of our brothers 
the Quakers the same good words again. If we 
understand you right, you wish to add comfort 
to our women and children by teaching us and 
15 



166 APPENDIX. 

them some of your ways of living. I am glad 
that the Great Spirit has put it into your hearts, 
and am sorry that your efforts have not yet been 
successful. 

« Brothers and Friends -I now assure you, that 
you hear the voice of the Potowatomy, Miami, 
'Delaware, Shawanese, Weas, Eel Biver, Pianka- 
shaw, Kickapoo, and Kaskaskia Tribes of Indi- 
ans and if you wish to do any thing for any ot 
these nations we will at all times^be ready to 
render any assistance in our power." 

The Little Turtle then again alluded to the plea- 
sure they had received from the words of the 
Friends of Philadelphia, and were equally pleased 
to hear the same good words from the Fiiends of 
of Baltimore. He then mentioned that the Friends 
of Philadelphia had given them some tools, among 
which were "two ploughs."* "I used them, 
and did all I could to keep them from wearing 
out ; I was pleased with them ; they now need 
repair; we have nobody among us that can mend 
them, and thev are now useless to me. He 
then referred to a visit they had made to Phila- 
delphia five days since, and the talks they had had 
together with the Quakers there, and concluded 
bv r inviting the Friends of Baltimore to meetthe 
Indian tribes at their next Great Council, held 
annually at Fort Wayne, at the time the Indians 
receive their annuities from the United States: 



* Alluded to in the letter of Thomas Wists 



APPENDIX. 



167 



and requested that any information intended for 
them should be conveyed to them through their 
interpreter, William Wells, Indian agent at Fort 
Wayne. 

After taking his seat, this chief appeared to 
have reflected that he had not answered fully 
the questions proposed to them, and rising again, 
said : 

" Brothers and Friends : It is the real wish 
of your brothers, the Indians, to engage in the 
cultivation of our lands, and although the game 
is not yet so scarce but that we can get enough 
to eat, we know it is becoming scarce, and that 
we must begin to take hold of such tools as we 
see are in the hands of the white people." After- 
wards he alluded in forcible language to the con- 
fidence which the Red men had in the Friends, 
and that they knew they desired no compensa- 
tion for their services to them, and added, " Bro- 
thers, we are a jealously disposed people — almost 
every white man that comes among us endeavors 
to cheat us; this has occasioned jealousy among 
us. But your talks, brothers, are different, and 
we believe you." 

The Five Medals then made a speech, in 
which he reiterated much that the Little Turtle 
had spoken, and continued: "Friends and Broth- 
ers, the talks that you have now delivered to 
us shall be carefully collected, wrapped up and 
put in our hearts, — we will not forget them. 
On our return home, we will have them com- 



168 



APPENDIX. 



munieated from the head to the mouth of 
the Wabash,— from this to the Mississippi, and 
up that river until it strikes the lakes, thence 
round by Michillimackanack until they come 
back again to the same place. What we say to 
you does not come from one, but from many, 
and what you have now said to us, you speak it to 
but a few, but it shall be communicated to many. 

"Brothers and Friends, I observed to our 
friends, the Quakers of Philadelphia, five days 
a<^o, what I say now to you, that we wish our 
brothers, the Quakers, to render us those services 
they have proposed. We promise that nothing 
shall be wanting on our part to give aid to so 
desirable a thing in our country. Our situation 
at present will not admit of carrying such a 
plan so fully into execution as we could desire, 
but I hope you may not be prevented from ma- 
kino- trial. If we had such tools as you make 
use°of, and which add so much to your comfort— 
for we have been lost in wonder at what we have 
seen among you— if we had these instruments, 
we should, I hope, be willing to use them. 

« From the* great things, and astonishing 
wonders, which we have seen among you, and 
finding: they all come out of the earth, it makes 
me anxious to try if I cannot get some for my- 
self/ 7 

He then expressed his regret that the move- 
ments of the Friends towards the Indians had 



APPENDIX. 



169 



not met with the success which they deserved, allu- 
ding to their having received no satisfactory re- 
ply from the Wyandots and Delawares, and 
concluded with observing, " There is a great 
deal, brothers, in having a good interpreter, and 
beginning at the right end of the business. " 
[The Indian Committee who had had the inter- 
view with Tarhie, (the Crane,) and a few of his 
chiefs at Sandusky, were under the impression 
that their speech to the Indians was not clearly 
translated, of which a hint had been given, and 
hence the remarks of the Five Medals.] 

Here the interview with the Indians closed. 

After reflecting on the subject of their con- 
ference with the Indian Chiefs, the members of 
the Indian Committee regretted that they had 
not made use of that opportunity to express 
their opinion on the subject of the use of spirit- 
uous liquors. Another meeting of the Com- 
mittee and their friends was accordingly called, 
and the chiefs were invited to attend. They met 
again at the dwelling of Elisha Tyson. After a 
brief representation of the reason for another 
interview given by a friend, Evan Thomas ad- 
dressed the chiefs in a forcible communication, 
which was full of feeling ; after assuring them 
that the love he felt for the Indians, and his 
interest in their welfare, had taken away all 
fear of giving them offence, he proceeded to ac- 
knowledge what he had witnessed in his visit to 
the Wyandot Nation, and his belief that the too 
15* 



170 APPENDIX. 

frequent use of spirituous liquors was more in 
the way of their improvement than anything 
else, and appealed to them thus: " Are you of 
the same mind with us who are your friends, and 
have your good at heart; that it would be right 
for us to take the subject into our serious con- 
sideration, to endeavor to discover whether 
there may not be some steps taken that would 
put a check upon this pernicious thing V 

After calling upon the chiefs to express them- 
selves freely in regard to the concern the 
Little Turtle inquired if any of his broth- 
ers, the Quakers, had any further communica- 
tion to make, and being desired to proceed, rose 
up and said : " Brothers and Friends, I am 
happy to find it has pleased the Great Spirit, 
that we should again meet in the same house in 
which we held our council yesterday. I am 
happy to find that it is the will of the Great 
and Good Spirit that we should discover that 
there was something omitted yesterday, that 
was highly necessary for your red brethren. • 
« Friends and brothers, I am glad to find that 
it has pleased the Great Spirit to put a wish in 
your hearts on the subject you have mentioned; 
a subject of the greatest importance to us. 
What you have said relative to our being one 
flesh and blood is true. Your brothers, the In- 
dians, believe that it is in this light the Ureal 
Spirit considers all mankind." He afterwards 
remarked, that the Indians had long been aware 



APPENDIX. 



171 



of the great evils which had c raged' in their 
country, but could obtain no redress; that since 
the introduction of spirituous liquors^ among 
them, their numbers were greatly diminished, 
and taking advantage of the request which had 
been made, that they should express themselves 
freely, added : " I will now take the liberty to 
mention, that most of the evils existing among 
the Red people, have been caught from the white 
people ; not only that liquor which destroys us 
daily, but many diseases that our forefathers were 
ignorant of, before they saw you. 

" Brothers and Friends : — I am glad you have 
seen this business as we do, and rejoice to find 
that you agree in opinion with us, and express 
an anxiety to be, if possible, of service to us, 
to remove this great evil out of our country ) an 
evil that has had so much ruin in it, — that has 
destroyed so many of our lives, that it causes our 
young men to say, i We had better be at war 
with the white people.' This liquor that they 
introduce into our country, is more to be feared 
than the gun or the tomahawk there are more 
of us dead since the treaty of Grenville, than 
we lost by the years of war before, and it is all 
owing to the introduction of this liquor among 
us. This subject, brothers, composes a part of 
what we intend to make known to the Great 
Council of our White brethren. On our arrival 
there, we shall endeavor to explain to our Great 



172 



APPENDIX. 



Father, the President, a great many evils that 
have arisen in our country, from the introduc- 
tion of this liquor by the white traders. 

" Brothers and Friends: In addition to what 
I have before observed of this great evil in the 
country of your red brethren, I will say further, 
that it has made us poor. It is this liquor that 
causes our young men to go without clothes, and 
our women and children to go without anything 
to eat, and sorry I am to mention now to you, 
brothers, the evil is increasing every day, as the 
white settlers come nearer to us, and bring those 
kettles they boil that stuff in they call whiskey, 
of which our young men are so extremely fond. 
Brothers, when our young men have been out 
hunting, and are returning home loaded with 
skins and furs, on their way, if it happens that 
they come alons; where some of this whiskey is 
deposited, the White man who sells it, tells them 
to take a little drink; some of them will say 
no, I do not want it 5 they go on until they 
come to another house, where they find more of 
the same kind of drink; it is there again offered, 
they refuse, and again the third tune; but 
finally the fourth or fifth time, one accepts of it 
and takes a drink, and getting one, he wants 
another, and then a third, and fourth, till his 
senses have left him. After this, reason comes 
back to him; when he gets up and finds where 
he is, and asks for his peltry, the answer is, you 
have drank them. Where is my gun ? It is 



APPENDIX, 



gone. Where is my blanket ? It is gone. 
Where is my shirt? You have sold it for 
whiskey ! Now, brothers, figure to yourselves 
what a condition this man must be in; 
he has a family at home, a wife and children, 
who stand in need of the profits of his hunting, 
what must their wants be, when he himself is 
also without a shirt." After expressing his 
hope that the Great Spirit would aid the 
Friends in their efforts to assist the Indians, and 
that they would use any influence they possessed 
with the great council of the United States on 
their behalf, and again alluding to the baneful 
effects of spirituous liquors, and the bad advice 
of wicked men who wished to keep them in ig- 
norance, he finished by declaring that he desired 
all that he had said should be made public, 
provided the Friends had no objection thereto. 

The Five Medals then rose and said : — " My 
Brothers and Friends: I have nothing to say on 
the subject we have now been talking over. My 
friend, the Little Turtle, has given you a full 
answer to those things you have mentioned to 
us; we are but one people, and have but one 
voice. We hope, brothers, that your friendship 
and ours may never be broken." 

Evan Thomas, then addressed them again as 
follows . — " Friends and Brothers: What you 
have communicated at this time, has been 
clearly understood, and we are glad to find we 
see things in the same light that you see them. 



174 APPENDIX. 

The several matters you have mentioned, and 
the difficulties you have stated, claim our sym- 
pathy and solid consideration, and we shall 1 
trust, take the subject up, and if way should 
coen for us to move forward, in aiding you in 
your application to the General Government, we 
shall be willing, either on this occasion, or any 
other, to render you any service in our power 
The conference then broke up, and the Indian 
Committee prepared and forwarded to the Con- 
gress of the United States, the following me- 

m °«To the Congress of the United States : 

« The memorial of the Committee appointed 
for Indian affairs by the Yearly Meeting of 
Friends held in Baltimore, respectfully repre- 

S6 °' That a concern to introduce amongst some 
of the Indian tribes north-west of the river Ohio, 
the most simple and useful arts of civil hfe, 
being several years since laid before our Wy 
Meeting, a Committee was appointed by that 
body, to visit them, to examine their situation 
and' endeavor to -certain in what manner so 
desirable a purpose could be effected. A part 
of that Committee, after having obtained the 
approbation of the President of the United 
States, proceeded to perform the service assigned 
them, and the result of their enquiries and ob- 
servations, as reported to the Yearly Meeting, 
wa^, that the quantity of spirituous liquors with 



APPENDIX. 



175 



which the Indians are supplied, by traders, and 
frontier settlers, must counteract the effect ot 
every measure, however wise and salutary, 
which can be devised to improve their situa- 

U0 «The truth of this assertion is abundantly 
confirmed by a speech made before us, by a 
Miami chief, the Little Turtle, (of which we 
herewith transmit a copy for your consideratior >,) 
and we also acknowledge our be hef, that the 
evil is of such magnitude, that unless it can be 
altogether removed or greatly restrained, no 
rational hope of success in the proposed under- 
taking can be entertained. We are therefore 
induced to solicit the attention of the_ National 
Legislature to this interesting and important, 
subieet ; a subject which we consider involves, 
not only their future welfare, but even their very 
existence as a people. .. 

"Signed on behalf of the Committee, by 
EvanThomas, 1^3^ 
Elias Ellicott, Joel Wright, 

John Brown, George Ellicott, 

David Brown. 
Baltimore, 1st month, 1802." 

These Friends soon after repaired to the seat 
of government, presented their memorial to 
Con|ress, and were gratified by the passage ti 
the faw, which they so much desired. Whilst 
in Washington they waited on the Secretary ot 



176 APPENDIX. 

"War. The law passed by Congress, authorized 
the President of the United States "to take 
such measures from time to time, as to him may 
seem expedient, to prevent orrestrain the vend- 
ing or distributing of spirituous liquors, among 
all or any of the Indian tribes/' 

On the subject of civilization the law states 
"that in order to promote civilization amongst 
the friendly Indian tribes, and to secure the con- 
tinuance of their friendship, it shall be lawful 
for the President of the United States to cause 
them to be furnished with useful domestic ani- 
mals, and implements of husbandry, and with 
goods or money as he shall judge proper, and to 
appoint such persons from time to time, as tem- 
porary agents to reside amongst the Indians, as 
he shalt think fit; provided that the whole 
amount of such presents and allowance to such 
agents shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars 
per annum/' 

The Committee reported their progress to a 
general meeting of the Committee on Indian 
concerns, which was held in Baltimore, 13th of 
10th month, 1802,* and informed them of the 
conferences which had been held with the Indian 
chiefs ; the chiefs of those nations whom Balti- 

*During the session of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. 
The general meeting of the Indian Committee, of 
Baltimore Yearly Meeting, in consequence of the re- 
mote residence of some of the members, met once a 
year. 



APPENDIX. 



177 



more Yearly Meeting had it in contemplation to 
visit. Their report presented the speeches of 
the chiefs, the memorial of the Committee to 
Congress, a copy of the law passed by Congress, 
and an account of their interview with the Sec- 
retary of War, with the information received 
from him. The War department at this period 
of the government of the United States had the 
care of Indian affairs, and the Secretary informed 
the Friends that, agreeably to the request of the 
Indians, the government had established a tra- 
ding house at Fort Wayne, that they were in 
want of several persons of our Society; black- 
smiths, carpenters, and superintendents, men 
that could make and mend ploughs, looms, farm- 
ing utensils, &c, and wished to employ such 
as were of exemplary conduct, and concerned for 
the promotion of the work in prospect; to such 
the United States offered a liberaL compensa- 
tion." 

At the next meeting which was held in Bal- 
timore the 7th of 2d month, 1803, the Commit- 
tee on Indian Concerns agreed to make the 
following application to the Meeting for Suffer- 
ings of Baltimore Yearly Meeting .: 

"We of the Committee on Indian affairs ap- 
pointed by Baltimore Yearly Meeting, impressed 
with an idea of the importance of our appoint- 
ment, and with a full persuasion, that the situa- 
tion of our business requires speedy attention, 
as the obstructions that have heretofore prevented 
16 



178 



APPENDIX. 



Friends from moving forward, in extending to 
the Western Indians the benefits some years 
ago contemplated by the Yearly Meeting, are 
now removed, and considering the distant situa- 
tion of many of our members from each other, 
and the difficulty and even impracticability of ob- 
taining a general meeting; we have been in- 
duced to believe it rigbt to submit the subject 
to the consideration of the Meeting for Sufferings 
for their cordial sympathy and advice, and if 
they may believe it right, for their co-opera- 
tion also. Signed by 

Evan Thomas, Moses Dillon, 

John M'Kim, Jonathan Wright, 

David Brown, George Ellicott, 

Elias Ellicott, Joel Wright/' 

The Meeting for Sufferings entered cordially 
into sympathy with the members of the Indian 
Committee in their benevolent enterprise, and 
they were encouraged to appoint a Committee to 
procure agricultural, and other useful implements, 
and have them conveyed in seasonable time to 
Fort Wayne. 

The Committee on Indian concerns met again 
in Baltimore the 10th of 10th month, 1803, and 
drew up a report for Baltimore Yearly Meeting ; 
in which they related that in consequence of 
information received from the Western Indians, 
and the prohibition by the President of the 
United States of the sale of spirituous liquors 



APPENDIX. 



179 



amongst them, u the Committee had been im- 
pressed with the belief that the time for an 
earnest commencement of the benevolent inten- 
tions of the Yearly Meeting had arrived; they 
had accordingly purchased for the use of those 
Indians" agricultural implements of various 
kinds " which were sent in packages to Pittsburg, 
from whence they were to be immediately con- 
veyed to Fort Wayne, and delivered as a present 
from the Society of Friends of Baltimore Yearly 
Meeting, to the Little Turtle, and other chiefs; 
to be disposed of by them, to such of their peo- 
ple as they knew were desirous of using them." 
They also reported that they had had some cor- 
respondence with William Wells, the Indian 
agent at Fort Wayne, but had not yet heard of 
the arrival of the agricultural implements at 
their destination. William Wells had replied 
to their enquiries on behalf of the Indians, and in- 
formed them as his opinion, that " the suppres- 
sion of liquors in that country is the best thing 
that has ever been done for the Indians, by the 
United States; that within a year, not one In- 
dian had been killed; whilst there had never 
been a year before since the treaty of Gren- 
ville in which there were less than ten 
killed, and some years as many as thirty." 

The report was signed on behalf of the Com- 
mittee, by Evan Thomas, Joel Wright, and 
James Mendenhall. 

To this report a postscript was added, that in 



180 



APPENDIX. 



consequence of the decease of some of the first 
members of the Indian Committee (their names, 
however, not given.) and a distant situation and 
other causes preventing the attendance of many, 
"it was believed a benefit might arise from the 
discontinuance of the present Committee, and the 
appointment of another/' 

Their report was read, and their request for a 
new Committee considered at Baltimore Yearly 
Meeting, held by adjournments from the 10th 
day of 10th month, to the 14th of the same in- 
clusive, 1803 ; and at the next meeting of the 
members of the Committee, on the 14th of 10th 
month, 1803, a minute of the Yearly Meeting 
informed them of the appointment of the follow- 
ing Friends to constitute a Committee on Indian 
Affairs ; they were desired by the minute of 
their appointment, " to pay such attention to the 
interesting concern as they may be enabled to 
render/' to wit: 

Evan Thomas, Isaac Tyson, 

Joel Wright, Israel Wilson, 

Elisha Tyson, Henry Mills, 

Edward Stabler, Jonas CattelL 

George Ellicott, Bavid Greave, 

Jonathan Wright, Elias Ellicott, 
Gerard T. Hopkins, Jonathan Ellicott, 
John Ellicott, Benjamin Ellicott, 

Asa Moore, Philip E. Thomas, 

Caleb Bently, Thomas Moore, 

William Kirk, Samuel Snawden, 

Win. Stabler, of Sandy Spring. 



APPENDIX. 



181 



Immediately after their organization Philip E. 
Thomas was appointed Secretary, and Elias Elli- 
cott Treasurer of the Indian Committee, Philip 
E. Thomas continued to perform the duties of 
Secretary to the Committee, with untiring zeal 
and ability, from the date of his appointment to 
the time of his decease, which took place the 1st 
day of 9th month, 1861, Elias Ellicott had 
been Treasurer of the Indian Committee from 
the period of its origin in the year 1795. After 
this reappointment he continued faithfully to 
perform the trust confided to him, until his de- 
cease in 10th month, 1827. 

At the next meeting of the Committee on In- 
dian affairs, held the 6th of 2d month, 1804, a 
letter was received from the Little Turtle, and 
the Five Medals, Miami, and Wyandot chiefs, 
which resulted in the appointment of a delega- 
tion to visit them, of whom Gerard T. Hopkins 
and George Ellicott alone performed the ser- 
vice. 

The Friends who accomplished this journey 
together have now for many years been num- 
bered with the dead. George Ellicott departed 
this life the 9th of 4th month, 1832, aged 72 
years, and Gerard T. Hopkins died nearly two 
years afterwards on the 27th of 3d month, 1834, 
in the 66th year of his age. 

Philip Dennis, who accompanied them to 
Fort Wayne with the intention of instructing 
the Indians in agriculture, faithfully performed 
16* 



182 APPENDIX. 

the duty, so far as he alone was concerned. The 
Little Turtle had in one of his interviews with 
the Friends told them " our young men are not 
so much disposed to be industrious as we could 
desire" Philip Dennis found this represen- 
tation of them fully verified in his experience. 
After he had, with some assistance from the In- 
dians, enclosed his plantation with a rude fence, 
only one, or at the most two of the red men 
evinced any disposition to labor. They would 
take a seat either on the fence, or in the trees, 
near the premises, and watch him with apparent 
interest in his daily engagement of ploughing 
and hoeing, but without offering to lend a help- 
ing hand. He found the land very fertile, and 
raised a large crop of corn and other products, 
which, after gathering into a storehouse he built 
for the purpose in the autumn, he left in charge 
of some of the neighboring chiefs for a winter 
supply for the necessitous members of the tribes 
for whom he had labored, and returned to hw 
home at Ellicott's Mills. 

Philip Dennis lived some years afterwards, 
a respectable member of the Society of Friends, 
and died on his farm in Montgomery County, 
Maryland. 

The promise made at the commencement of 
the foregoing brief history of the Indian Com- 
mittee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, from its 
appointment in 1795 to 1804, has thus been 



APPENDIX 



183 



performed, and the limits I had prescribed for 
this Appendix have been already exceeded ; but 
the very interesting character of the concern in- 
duces me (before producing a copy of the Trea- 
ty of Grenville, which from its influence on the 
condition of the Indian Tribes ought to be pre- 
sented to the reader) to add the following ac- 
count. 

From the last meeting of the committee, as 
above related, in 1804, to the commencement of 
the war with Great Britain, the affairs of the 
Indians continued to increase in importance, and 
their friends were frequently flattered with the 
hope of a successful and permanent settlement of 
the Tribes, to whom the United States under 
certain conditions had guaranteed their lands, in 
the neighborhood of the Lakes. Philan thropists, 
not only in our own country, but, also, of the 
more enlightened European nations, continued 
to accord to the efforts of the Friends of this 
country the meed of their approbation, and from 
members of the Society of Friends in Great 
Britain, the Indian Committees of Phila- 
delphia and Baltimore received donations of 
money, paid to them in two instalments of several 
thousand dollars each, to be applied to the im- 
provement of the condition of the Indians, which 
greatly increased their opportunities of useful- 
ness ; to these donations was afterwards added 
a bequest from a friend of Ireland, of much less 



184 



APPENDIX. 



amount, it is true, but, nevertheless, a valuable 
contribution to the cause of humanity. 

Portions of these different sums of money were 
faithfully applied, with those collected from 
their own members; in giving encouragement 
to the civilization of the Indians ; in the pro- 
motion of a good system of agriculture ; in sup- 
porting schools; in building small mills for 
grinding Indian corn, and in endeavoring to 
discountenance the hard servitude of their 
women. 

On the establishment of the Yearly Meeting 
of Ohio, in 1813, which had originally formed 
a part of that of Baltimore, the Indian Com- 
mittee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting faithfully 
divided the money remaining on hand, with the 
Indian Committee of Ohio Yearly Meeting, to 
be applied in accordance with the instructions 
received for its expenditure; but the unsettle- 
ment produced in the neighborhood of the Cana- 
dian frontier, by the war with the British na- 
tion produced its effect on the friendly tribes, 
and, after much consultation among themselves, 
and repeated visits of Chiefs to Washington 
they concluded to cede all the lands to which 
they had any title, in Ohio, to the United States, 
and remove further west. This was in 
« The Indians were at their option to remain on 
the ceded lands, subject to the laws of the btate 
or country." 



* Emma Willard's American Republic. 



APPENDIX. 



185 



Recollections of the Little Turtle and other 
Indians. 

The Little Turtle, with several other Chiefs, 
spent two days at Ellicott's Mills, during Christ- 
mas week of 1807, attended by Wm. Wells, the 
United States Agent for Fort Wayne, as inter- 
preter. They had been to Washington on busi- 
ness, had had an interview with the Indian Com- 
mittee in Baltimore, and were returning home 
through the State of Maryland. 

George Ellicott called to see them soon after 
their arrival, and gave them an invitation to 
dine the next day, at his house, which was not 
far distant from the hotel where they lodged. 
The delegation was composed of the following 
persons:— The Little Turtle and Rusheville, 
Chiefs of the Miami nation ; the Beaver and 
Crow of the Delawares ; two Shawanese Chiefs, 
and Marpau and the Raven, Chiefs of the 
Potowatomies ; of the two last named each was 
accompanied by his wife. All accepted the in- 
invitation but Marpau, who positively declined 
both for himself and his wife. He was of a very 
warlike disposition, and the brother of Tecumseh, 
and the Prophet, who, in 1811, openly revolted 
from their allegiance to the United States, and 
were the cause of much bloodshed on the Cana- 
dian frontier. Already the spirit of disaffection 
had taken hold of his mind ; he refused to wear 
any article of clothing manufactured by the 



186 



APPENDIX. 



white people, and was by no means reserved 10 
his expressions of hatred toward the whole race, 
who, he maintained, had violently wrested from 
them all their most valuable possessions. Nor 
did he hesitate to express his determination, 
with aid of his two powerful brothers, to regain 
all the lands which had originally belonged to 
them, after putting to death all those who now 
occupied them. . 

In order to give him favorable impressions ot 
the power of the Federal government, and re- 
lieve his mind of the idea of taking up arms 
against it, the other members of the delega- 
tion, all friendly Indians except himself and 
the Raven, had persuaded him to make the 
iourney, hoping he would discover, as he passed 
along, so many evidences of the strength o, the 
people he professed to despise, as to be induced 
to prefer peace to war, on any terms. No favor- 
able change, however, had been the result He 
had refused every civility tendered him while in 
Washington, remaining shut up with his wite, 
in his apartments, while all the rest of his com- 
panions partook of every enjoyment offered them. 
He had refused to meet the Indian Committee 
in Baltimore, (but was afterwards induced to do 
so ^ and remained in the same mood on his arri- 
val at Ellicott'B Mills; and although George 
Ellicott assured him he could promise him a 
welcome and kind treatment at his house ne 
still declined. The Little Turtle endeavored to 



APPENDIX* 



187 



change bis purpose ; rallied him on his obsti- 
nacy, ill-humor and laziness, and told him he 
was too large a man to give so poor a display of 
Indian politeness, and that he would return to 
his home in the same state of ignorance in which 
he had left it ; but all to no purpose. He bore 
the raillery with apparent good humor, but re- 
mained unmoved. Marpau was of very large 
stature, and in the prime of manly vigor. His 
dress was entirely made up of the skins of wild 
animals, which had been killed by his own 
hands. 

Having heard so much of the Little Turtle, 
I determined to be present when he and the 
other Chiefs were introduced at the house, where 
they were to be entertained as guests. He was 
the first to enter the parlor, and bowed grace- 
fully as he was introduced to the family, and 
made a short address, in which he acknowledged 
the pleasure it afforded him thus to meet the 
wife and children of a friend to whom he felt 
obliged, and of whom he entertained the highest 
opinion. 

The interpreter then introduced the rest of 
the party, who shook hands, and took their seats. 
Afterwards a pleasant conversation took place 
between the Miami Chiefs, the Interpreter, and 
some of the residents of the village, in which 
the Indians drew a comparison between savage 
and civilized life, and in favor of civilization. 
The Little Turtle was anxious to have a flour 



J'gg APPENDIX. 

mill erected in his town, and appeared earnestly 
desirous of promoting the ™P™™"' J h s 
i,eonle The Shawanese, the Raven and his 
S and the Beaver and Crow listened in 

Sil The'dres S and mantle of the Raven bore a 
close resemblance to those worn by Marpau, 
and were of similar material. He was esteemed 
X Greatest hunter of the Potowatomies, and 
fccastnalTy visited the Rocky Mountains in 
pursuit of game, and on his last excursion to 
fhat distant range, had killed a gmzly bea of 
immense weight and size, whose skin, dresseu 
wIS the claw's and teeth attached he wore on 
this occasion, thrown over his shoulders. His 
face was painted; the cheeks and forehead 
Sack and across one of his cheeks was a heavy 
dash o? vermilHon, which looked like a deep and 
TJn° flesh wound. His hair, which was thick 
Ed coarse, was cut about six inches long hi 
Sent and hung about his face, but was its fu, 
eno h behind, and tied in severa places with 
Ss of buck kin, and powdered with red paint 
„ d he wore on the top of his head a small 
coronet of e ag le's feathers. Attached to an 
SSered belt hung his tobacco pouch made 
of the entire skin of a beaver and by its side 
his tomahawk and scalping knite. 

WiS his large and muscular proportions, ac- 
companied by the disfigurements of the pain , 
he was only saved from the appearance of a bar. 



APPENDIX. 



189 



barous and unrelenting savage, by a countenance 
expressive of the utmost good humor. 

The wife of the Raven was a young and hand- 
some woman, of a modest and downcast expres- 
sion. She did not seem to entertain the preju- 
dices against civilized manufactures, which ex- 
isted in her husband's mind, and wore a blue 
cloth habit, though made in Indian style; a hat, 
covered with braided ribbon, feathers of different 
sorts, and tinsel ornaments. Her moccasins were 
beautifully embroidered with moose hair, inter- 
spersed with plaited rows of porcupine's quills; 
her necklace was made of several rows of beads 
of many colors, and her ear ornaments, which 
were drooping, and hung nearly down to her 
shoulders, were also of beads; and she wore, 
wrapped around her person, a fine Makinaw 
blanket. 

The Little Turtle and Rusheville, the Beaver 
and Crow, and the two Shawanese, were dressed 
in a costume usually worn' by our own citizens 
of the time : coats of blue cloth, gilt buttons, 
pantaloons of the same color, and buff waistcoats ; 
but they all wore leggings, moccasins, and large 
gold rings in their ears. The Little Turtle ex- 
ceeded all his brother Chiefs in dignity of ap- 
pearance — a dignity which resulted from the 
character of his mind. He was of medium 
stature, with a complexion of the palest copper 
shade, and did not wear paint. His hair was 
a full suit, and without any admixture of grey, 
17 



29U APPENDIX. 

although from what he said of his age at Fort 
Wayne, in 1804, being then fifty-three, he must 
at this time have been fifty-seven years .old. 
His dress was completed by a long, red, military 
fa h around the waist, and his hat (a ehapeau 
Sas) was ornamented by a red feather. Imme- 
diately on entering the house, he took off his 
Lt, and carried it under his arm during the 
rest of the visit. His appearance and manners, 
which were graceful and agreeable, in an un- 
coZon degree, were admired by all who made 

hl WheTseaSat table they seemed to enjoy the 
repast which was set before them A large 
dish of hominy— a national dish with tne ln- 
fans-had with a variety of other dishes been 
served up, especially in reference to ^Hastes, 
and was very acceptable to them. The Kaven, 
on taking h/s seat immediately pointed it out ,to 
his wife? who sat at his side, and spoke for the 
first time since his entrance, to request to bo 
Sped bountifully to the hominy, having . seen 
nothing he liked so well since he had left the 

W °T d he visit ended very agreeably; the deputa- 
tion shook hands with the Friends who had en- 
tertained them, and returned to their hotel 
Thev found Marpau and his wife quiet h .seated 
by the fireside, but soon understood they had 
just returned from a walk, having passed the 



APPENDIX. 



191 



day on the hills, and in the fields on the banks 
of the Patapsco. 

We were told that they spent a part of the 
day seated upon the rocks, contemplating the 
scenery before them ; they were afterwards at- 
tracted to a point where hickory nuts and per- 
simmons were abundant, and the Chief was seen 
climbing the trees, and gathering the persim- 
mons and nuts, and throwing them down to his 
wife, who seemed fond of them. Thus, they had 
passed the day, and looked refreshed thereby. 

Both Marpau and the Raven, whilst on their 
journey, were careful to present themselves, on 
all occasions, where there was a chance of their 
being seen, painted and adorned in their most 
approved^ style. Thus, while in Washington 
and Baltimore, although in comparative retire- 
ment, as he did not go out, Marpau was said to 
spend two or three hours daily, in the duties of 
the toilet, painting his face, dressing his hair, 
and arranging his appearance, by a small mirror, 
held up before him by his wife, who g stood near him 
for the purpose, pronouncing occasionally on the 
effect produced, and giving instructions. Similar 
attentions were conferred by the wife of the 
Raven on her husband, but as he was of lower 
rank, and rather older than Marpau, his toilet 
was less elaborate, and occupied less time. 

The next day after this ramble, the Potawo- 
tamies all went together to visit the places where 
Marpau and his wife had walked the day before. 



192 



APPENDIX. 



Tk.other Indians, with the interpreter, e»«ioi»^ 
Stf» ehU ef' interest in the 

to presmtths grievances of hi! »■ p 
tioi of the Presidentof the 



APPENDIX. 



193 



tribe. An investigation was made in Washing- 
ton by the President's orders. 

William Wells was found to be a defaulter 
to a large amount ; and was discharged from the 
agency at Fort Wayne ; he shortly after went to 
live in Canada, and in 1811, joined the party of 
Tecumseh and the Prophet, in their warfare 
against the United States, very contrary to the 
desires of the Little Turtle, who with his allies 
had remained deaf to all the arguments of Te- 
cumseh, loyal to the government of the United 
States, and faithful in his friendship to his 
friends the Quakers. 

William Wells after a short residence in 
. Canada, was taken prisoner by the Indians whom 
he had defrauded in his agency, and was put to 
death with great barbarity. The Little Turtle 
had died a short time before, of an attack of the 
gout in the chest. 

The following matters of interest in the his- 
tory of the Indians, together with the copy of 
the Treaty of Greeneville, has been kindly fur- 
nished from the records of Washington, by a 
gentleman of that city. 

" The treaty of Grenville* was concluded on 
the 3d day of August, 1795, at the Head Quar- 

*The treaty purports to have been made at 
" Greeneville," but the place is frequently, perhaps 
most generally, written " Grenville. 

17* 



^94 APPENDIX. 

ters of General Anthony Wayne, ^T» d Jg 
the army of the United States, northwest of the 
Ohio, between that officer, acting as CommissHon- 
„ f 0 ; the United States, and the Sachems Chiefs 
and warriors of twelve tribes of Indians, Ihe 
treaty was mainly the result of a victory ob- 
S/d by General Wayne over the Indians ,u i a 
battle fought the previous year near the Mau 
mee* river" and terminated the hostih ies which 
^ nearly twenty years had been carried on be- 
tween the Indians, northwest of the Ohic ^ and 
the white settlers in Kentucky and western \ ir- 
ginil. Sundry abortive efforts had been made 
by the government to procure peace. Partial 
treaties were entered into wh ^ Jad 
eifect in restraining the great body of the .tabes, 
and several military expeditions, which had been 
sent into their country to subdue them, met with 
disasters and by their failure only strengthened 
t Sns. In April, 1793, three ^—on- 
ers with ample powers, were sent to negotiate a 
Sty and were intrusted to offer much better 
IS than were afterwards granted the Indians 
tZ tr aty of Greeneville. In ^theumtrno ions 
Jven them it was stated, "that the Society of 
Irieiid ha",with the approbation of the President 
of the Uni ed States, decided to send some of 
Ae r respectable members in order to contribute 
their LiLnceJojnduce^^ 

-^IHhTti^nb^ty^^ 

Lake, 



APPENDIX. 195 

— — ^, 

a peace/' but I do not find from the Journal of 
the Commissioners that any Friends attended. <J 
The negotiation failed. The Indians insisted 
upon the removal of the white settlements and 
Forts from the country northwest of the Ohio, 
which the Commissioners refused to accede to, 
maintaining the claims of the United States to 
certain portions of the country under treaties 
from other tribes who were believed competent 
to make title to it. 

By the treaty of Greeneville the Indians ce- 
ded to the United States a tract of country com- 
prising about twenty five thousand square miles, 
or sixteen million acres, some of which however 
was included in previous grants from other tribes. 
They also ceded sixteen smaller tracts as sites 
for Forts, trading stations, &c. They received 
in consideration of the cession, twenty thousand 
dollars in goods, and permanent annuities amount- 
ing to eleven thousand dollars; $9,500 in goods 
delivered, the cost of delivery and distribution 
being $1,500. The annuities, at 5 percent, re- 
presents a capital of $220,000; thus the entire 
payment would be $240,000 for 16,000,000 
acres of land, or one cent and a half per acre. 

The annuities of several of the tribes com- 
menced at once, and are still paid regularly 
under the treaty of Greeneville, and they re- 
ceive additional annuities under other treaties. 
Indeed all the tribes who were parties to the 
treaty of Greeneville, received regular annuities 



-j^g APPENDIX. 

that treaty. 

Mem. of the terms of the Treaty. 

harmony, &c- 

Art 1. Peace re-established. 

Akt. 2. Prisoners on both sides to be re- 

St °? d ' * Tndians cede all lands east of a line 
AR . LL tne ionth of the Cuyahoga, irreg- 

ra l Clarke j the post of \ J- , M 

Sel AKx y 6 0 Sdian; ty e^Pel -ttlers from their 
7 Indians may hunt on lands ceded to 
the U. S., [until settled.] 



APPENDIX. 



197 



Art. 8. Trade to be conducted by licensed 
traders. 

Art. 9. Neither party to retaliate injuries, 
but offenders to be punished by their own gov- 
ernment, and Indians are to give notice of hos- 
tile designs. 

Art. 10. All other treaties within the 
of this treaty cancelled. 

The following tribes were parties to the treaty 
of Greeneville; the figures prefixed to the name 
of each tribe shows the number of chiefs repre- 
senting it, and proves that at the date of the 
treaty, the Indians were a numerous people, viz: 

10 Wyandots, 17 Delawares, 
9 Shawanese, 7 Ottawas, 

11 Chippewas, 24 Potowatamies, 7 
5 Miamis, 3 Eel-river, S 

* 3 Weas, 3 Kickapoos, 

/ 3 Piankashaws, 3 Kaskaskias. 

For the United States, Anthony Wayne was 
sole Commissioner. 
The witnesses were : 

H. DeButts, Aid and Sec'y to Gen. Wayne; 
W. H. Harrison, afterwards President of the 

U. S., Aid to G-en. Wayne ; 
J. Lewis, Aid to Geo. Wayne ; 
James O'Hara, Quarter Master General; 
John Mills, Major, &c. ; 
Caleb Soran, P. M. G. U. S. ; 
George Detnter, Lieutenant, &c. ; 



X98 APPENDIX 

Vigo, [an old French settler-a very remark- 
able man]; 
P. La Fontaine, 
Ant. Lasselle, 
Jno. Beaubien, 
David Jones, C. U. S. A.; 
Lewis Beanfait, 
R. Lachambor, 
James Pepen, 
Baties Contien, 
P. Navarre ; 

Wm. Wells, Sonora, Interpreter; 
Jacques Lasselle, do.; 
M. Morins, do. ; 
Bt. Sansfrainte, do. ; 
Christopher Miller, do. ; 
Robert Wilson, do., 
Abraham Williams, do. ; 
Isaac Zane, do. 



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